The Darkest Hours
by BeautifulNightmare1993
Summary: The Midlands have had ten years of peace since the defeat of Emperor Jagang. Richard and Kahlan are enjoying their idyllic life surrounded by friends and family but everything changes when a child Confessor is brought to Aydindril and that fragile peace is shattered. With a cast of new and old characters, our heroes must race to find other surviving Confessors in The Darkest Hours.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note** : **Hello, there. This is my first foray into writing detailed fan-fiction and I have decided to start off with the Legend of the Seeker book series. I just re-read the entire series a few days ago and had some ideas running through my head the entire time. I have made some changes dealing with certain character deaths whom are no longer dead in my story as well as introducing a handful of new characters that I hope you enjoy as well. This story will more closely follow the book series, however, elements of the television series will occasionally pop up as well. Before I forget to mention it, these characters as well as Legend of the Seeker are not mine and belong to Terry Goodkind. I will also include a longer summary so that you, the reader, can gain a better understanding of what my story will be about. Ten years have passed since the defeat of Emperor Jagang and his armies. Lord Richard Rahl and the Mother Confessor, Kahlan Amnell have had many years of peace and prosperity throughout D'hara and the Midlands. Settling into family life, they are ready to continue their happy, idyllic lives with their family and friends. That all changes when a child Confessor is brought to Aydindril and that fragile peace is shattered. With a cast of new, as well as old characters, our two heroes must race to find anymore surviving Confessors, solve a series of mysterious deaths, and quell the Northern rebellions. All this and more will be revealed in The Darkest Hour. Please read and review and I hope you enjoy the story!**

Chapter One

Her Royal Highness, Princess Sonja Nicolette Amnell Rahl, first of her name, daughter of Lord Richard Rahl, ruler of D'hara and the Mother Confessor, Kahlan Amnell and future Queen of D'hara, Galea, and Kelton was unequivocally bored almost to tears. In a moment of pure indulgence, her mother had allowed her to take a break from the monotony of her lessons and play in the royal gardens for an hour or so. No sooner was she left alone, however, Sonja clambered through the rose bushes, hopped the short wall separating the second path leading away from her tutors and Mord-Sith guards and disappeared back into the Confessor's Palace to enjoy her new found freedom. Wandering the corridors by herself she pondered what sort of mischief she could get into until her absence was noticed. With a grin, she began heading towards the armory and training ground until she suddenly stopped and worried at her lip. Due to an unfortunate incident nearly a month ago involving herself, Mord-Sith Cara's son Mason, and two "borrowed" rapiers, the children had been forbidden to hold anything sharper than a butter knife for the foreseeable future. If it had not been for the common sense of Mason's younger sister, Sofia, who had run to get help as soon as they began to practice with their newly acquired weapons the healers might not have been able to complete their magical stitches in time. Sonja did not wish to get in trouble again and reasoned with herself that there would be more guards near the weaponry who would undoubtedly lead her back to her tutors and lessons.

Hearing foot steps behind her, she hid behind a large decorative vase that stood in an alcove. A servant carrying an empty tray walked by and disappeared down the stairs close to Sonja's hiding place. Once she was sure she was alone again she ran down the staircase and peered around the corner. If she continued to follow the hallway, she would end up quite close to the Great Library, another of her favorite spots to be in. It was a seven story structure that dominated the western side of the Palace. She could get lost for hours reading about different places and people that thrived throughout the Midlands. Unfortunately, Mord-Sith Berdine commanded control of the countless volumes of books, scrolls and manuscripts hidden behind the ornate double doors. Sonja had been left unsupervised in the library only a week previously. To pass the time as she waited for her friend and Berdine's daughter, Artemis, to arrive she had decided to pass the time juggling the ink pots that lay out among the tables. She had been doing quite well until Raina, Berdine's wife had accidently startled her and the ink had spilled over nearly a dozen priceless books, ruining them. Sonja had never seen Berdine and Artemis look so upset before. While Raina tried to calm down her family, Sonja slipped away and hid the rest of the afternoon. Her parents had been greatly disappointed in her and Sonja was subsequently banished from the Great Library until Berdine allowed her entry. Sonja decided not to press her luck and reluctantly turned down a different corridor leading away from the books. The last place she could think of to go was to the Royal Stables where she could at least practice jumping. Her riding instructor said she was a natural on the back of a horse which had filled her with a sense of pride. At least one of her teachers found her to be an excellent student. Her languages, history, and etiquette teachers all stated that she tended to lose focus in their classrooms which had resulted in her less than stellar marks. As she strolled down the towards the main entryway, she happened to glance out of one of the stained glass windows lining the left side of the hall, Streaks of rain raced down the glass, putting an end to any chance of riding today. Her parents did not like her riding in the rain as she would get sick and her horse could slip in the mud. Scowling at the change to her plans again, Sonja was quickly coming to the conclusion that it might have been better to stay in her lessons than aimlessly wandering throughout the Palace. As the rain increased in volume above her, she slowly made her way back down the hall, dragging out each step as she went.

She was so lost in thought that she failed to realize there was someone in her path. Running into a strong body she braced herself and glanced up into the waiting, turquoise eyes of a blonde Mord-Sith. Taking a gulp she muttered hello. The Mord-Sith crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the child in front of her.

"Shouldn't you be at your lessons, Princess?" the woman asked dryly, already knowing the answer. Sonja shrugged her shoulders and kept her head down.

"I was allowed a short break so I went for a walk." Sonja eventually replied. It wasn't a lie but she knew she was in trouble. She was always in trouble.

"Are you telling me that two hours of wandering the Palace, avoiding both your lessons and guards is a short break?" the woman asked with a small smile. Sonja shyly grinned. She truly had not realized how much time had passed. Looking around, she discovered she was almost at the front of the Palace where visitors were allowed entry to speak their piece to the Mother Confessor.

"I should throw you over my shoulder and take you back to your lessons. I'll have them teach you about the beliefs of the Mud People in High D'haran for the rest of the day." The Mord-Sith warned. Sonja's eyes grew big at the threat.

"Please, Aunt Cara, I don't want to go back to my lessons today. Why can't I just have half a day of studies like Benji and Sofia get? It's not fair." She pouted. Cara smiled sadly at the young girl.

"You know as well as I do that you have much larger responsibilities and obligations than they do. You are not only royalty which requires its own extensive knowledge to learn how to lead but you are the daughter of two powerful magic-wielders. When you grow up, you will be the magic against magic and that requires even more training and learning." She explained. Sonja furrowed her brow, but did not protest. Sighing, Cara picked up the girl and began carrying her down a different hallway.

"I have an idea. Why don't you join your mother in the Accords Hall and watch her judge over the people. Then, you can see why your parents require such extensive training and lessons." Sonja nodded in response as her aunt carried her through the halls. Outside of the large doors that led to the throne room, Cara set her down.

"Your mother is just inside. You may sit up near the throne with her. I will see your family at dinner tonight, now behave, Princess." Cara winked at her young charge and walked back down the halls. Sonja smiled a gap-toothed grin and turned towards the two soldiers of the First File who guarded the entry way. Recognizing the bearded one, she tugged on his sleeve.

"Do you have any candy for your favorite Princess?" she asked. The other guard chuckled as he watched the display. The man with the beard made a shushing noise and dug in his pocket, pulling out two pieces of wrapped caramel.

"Please do not tell I gave this to you. I do not want it to ruin your appetite, Princess." Sonja simply gave him her best smile and skipped into the room, her mouth already filled with the sticky sweet. The room was crowded and it took Sonja a few minutes to maneuver around the groups of people waiting to discuss their grievances. Near the back of the room, a large throne perched above everyone's heads. The woman sitting upon it wore a white dress, cut square at the neck and her face was blank as she listened to a man with many rings upon his fingers. Only her green eyes flashing with her temper gave away that she did not want to continue this conversation.

"I believe that I have heard enough. The Wizard Keep will not be re-opened as it is filled with dangerous magic that even my husband does not want to disturb. While I agree that it was once a place filled with great learning, it no longer has enough teachers to run it effectively. If and when I do decide to re-open it, those positions will be filled with people who I believe are the most qualified, Lord Wyte." She glared at the man as he began to sputter his protests.

"But Mother Confessor, the Midlands needs to have the knowledge to defend itself. It has been only ten years since Jagang and his armies decimated the Midlands and D'hara. We should protect the people from that kind of savagery before it happens again." He finished proudly, glad he had been able to reiterate his point. Kahlan merely raised an eyebrow and stood from her chair.

"Trying to prevent a war before it happens will only lead to more people losing their lives. I will not pay the price of other people's lives just to avoid Fate. This conversation is finished and you are dismissed, Lord Wyte." Her voice echoed throughout the chamber and the red-faced man stammered his apologies as he was led out of the room. As the crowd began to murmur among themselves, Sonja pushed her way through the last throng of people and reached the dais.

"Hello, Mother. I missed you at breakfast." She called out as she ran up to the throne. Kahlan turned her head away from where she had been speaking with her Mord-Sith guard and managed to catch her daughter before Sonja collided into her.

"What are you doing out of your lessons, Sonja?" she questioned her daughter after a hug.

Sonja waited for her mother to sit down before she clambered onto her lap.

"You said I could take a break, remember Mother?" she answered, turning her wide eyes onto her mother. The Mord-Sith guard snorted. Sonja had always been a handful and was always looking for loopholes or half-truths to get her way.

"That was nearly three hours ago and you know it, Sonja." Kahlan answered firmly, "We could have had lunch together but I received word that you were still missing from your walk around the gardens." Sonja looked away from her mother's glare.

"I'm sorry, Mama. My lessons are boring when it's just me and I have to take twice as many as Benji and he's older than me by two years!" she protested. Kahlan sighed. As a young Confessor, she had had lessons with many other Confessors to relieve the boredom. Her daughter would not have that until the twins were five years old. She ran her fingers through her daughter's long hair and Sonja hummed in response.

"Aunt Cara said I should come here and learn what Confessors do since I don't like my lessons. Can I just stay in the throne room all day instead, Mamma? Pretty please?" she asked, making sure to pout her lips like Aunt Cara had taught her. Kahlan chuckled.

"You still have to attend your lessons, little one. However, I will let you leave them twice a week and you can stay here in the throne room with me. Cara is right, you should see the way Confessors mete out justice and fairness." Glancing at the Mord-Sith who had been unabashedly listening to their conversation, Kahlan gestured for the woman to come closer.

"How many more do I have, Hally?" she asked quietly.

"Only three more and the first two should be resolved fairly quickly." Hally assured her. Kahlan nodded.

"Very well. After I hear the remaining grievances, I will be having an early dinner with my family and do not wish to be disturbed until morning, Hally." Kahlan said, giving the Mord-Sith a small smile. Hally nodded once in agreement.

"Understood, Mother Confessor. You should enjoy the time with your family and I will pass along that you and Lord Rahl are to be left alone in the family quarters until tomorrow morning."

"You promise, Mamma?" Sonja asked. She rarely had her mother all to herself and looked forward to spending time with her, her father, and the twins that evening. Kahlan kissed the top of her daughter's head and motioned for the next person to step forward.

"I promise, Sonja. I have missed spending time with you and your sisters. I want to be the one that tells you three a story tonight. Now hush, little one. We have to listen and guide our citizens now." Sonja settled herself on her mother's lap and carefully watched the proceedings. The first grievance was a bald farmer who claimed his neighbor had stolen one of his sheep and eaten it. When Kahlan questioned the neighbor, it turned out the man had taken the sheep as payment for chopping firewood. Kahlan allowed the man to have the sheep as the first man admitted he would not be able to pay until the summer. The next grievance involved a sad-eyed woman who said her son had run away to Fleet Street and would not return. At some point, Kahlan had covered her daughter's ears and their conversation was muffled. Kahlan had finally uncovered Sonja's ears and simply said if the boy was over fifteen than it was his choice and as long as the woman had other sons to help with the workload than they would have no need of the runaway. The woman had thanked her and walked slowly away.

"Where is Fleet Street, Mama?" Sonja asked curiously. Hally hid her laughter as a coughing fit to see the Mother Confessor's reaction to her eldest daughter asking where the best whorehouses were located in the city.

"Never you mind where, Sonja. Just do not ask your father that question, please." Sonja huffed and crossed her arms. Listening to grievances was almost as boring as lessons, but she wouldn't dare admit that to her mother. The last person walked to the dais and gave the Mother Confessor a short bow as they pushed the hood off of their face. They must have been caught in the storm, as their clothes dripped rain water onto the polished floor. With the hood down, the crowd was able to see that it was a young woman in her teens with long, sandy colored hair that fell past her shoulders. The girl stood at attention like a soldier and Kahlan was impressed that she looked straight into her eyes without fear.

"I have come a long way to speak with you, Mother Confessor." The girl spoke with a slight accent but her words carried throughout the crowded hall. Sonja leaned forward to listen.

"It is a private but extremely important matter that requires your attention. Please, if you would grant me a private audience, I will explain in further detail." The girl finished and unflinchingly gazed at the Mother Confessor. Kahlan wore her Confessor's Mask as she stared down at the teenager.

"If this matter is private, have you already spoken with a healer then?" she asked. Snickers could be heard as the girl flushed but did not look away.

"I am not in need of a healer, Mother Confessor. I simply need to speak with you about a matter that should not be spoken about in this hall." The girl again stated firmly.

"It may be important to you, but the Mother Confessor is a busy woman and cannot judge the matter until you tell her what it is." Interjected Hally, looking the girl up and down. The girl sighed deeply.

"With all due respect, I was not talking to you, Mord-Sith and I will not give away any details while in front of this crowd." The girl glanced at Hally, who raised her eyebrows but said nothing further. Kahlan kept her mask in place even as the whispers began swirling throughout the crowd. Who was this girl to speak like that to a Mord-Sith? Was she just foolish? And why did she require a private audience with the Mother Confessor? It was practically unheard of unless it warranted a Confession. The girl ignored the rumors already spreading in the crowd and continued to train her dark blue eyes on Kahlan.

"Will you please grant me a private audience, Mother Confessor? That is all that I ask." the girl said without fear. Kahaln stared at her for a few moments. The girl's hair was wet from the rain and a cloak covered the rest of her body. She was close enough that Kahlan could see a sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose and that her eyebrows were slightly darker than her hair color. The teen did not break her gaze and Kahlan felt those eyes were familiar even if she could not place why.

"I cannot grant you an audience until I know the reason why you want one. Tell me what your grievance is and I will do my best to rectify it, child." Kahlan finally said. The girl's eyes flashed blue flame as the audience waited with baited breath for the stranger's response.

"No." the girl simply said. The crowd gasped and the gossipers began whispering among themselves. No one had ever defied the Mother Confessor before. Even Kahlan allowed her mask to crack a little so that she could raise an eyebrow in surprise. Hally growled and sent the girl a fierce glare for her disrespect but the teen ignored it.

"If I cannot speak to you privately than I do not wish to speak with you at all." The girl turned and began heading to the door. Kahlan could only sit in stunned surprise as the crowd held their breath and made a path for her exit. Halfway to the doors the girl paused.

"Does the name, Phoebe Grace mean anything to you?" Seeing the blank look on Kahlan's face the girl scoffed and headed back to the doors. Kahlan's face was blank, but not with a Confessor's mask. Her face was impassive as she sorted through her memories of her time as a young Confessor being trained in the Palace. She remembered a girl with strawberry blonde hair who had shared her lessons as well as her desserts with her. Shy, but with a wit that could cause even the most learned of scholars to look like first year students. She had loved to travel and had been sent to the Wilds only a few short years before Darken Rahl had started massacring Confessors. Kahlan had mourned her death as no one had heard from her in the years since. The fact that this young teen stated her name as if it was a common occurrence for her to do so, shocked Kahlan to her core. Abruptly, she stood up from the throne, catching Sonja on one hip.

"Stop." Her voice rang out through the hall and the girl paused with one hand on the door.

"I wish to speak to you privately. Hally, please escort this girl to my private rooms as I do not wish to be interrupted." The stranger grinned but it was such quick flash of a smile that Kahlan was not sure if it had been real or not. The Mord-Sith who had been guarding the throne, gave Kahlan a short bow.

"It shall be done, Mother Confessor." Hally walked to the girl and escorted her out, giving a smirk to the guards who remained on high alert for any signs of trouble. Sonja was unsure what had just happened but realized her mother's plans might have just been changed, again.

"Momma," she whined, tugging on the edge of her dress. "Did you forget about dinner? You promised!" Kahlan sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, yes I did. I will still be there for dinner but I will need to leave early to speak with my guest." She tried to soothe her daughter but Sonja squirmed until she was put down.

"You said you would be with us all night. You said!" On Sonja's cheeks were two bright spots of color, a sure sign that her temper was about to erupt. Kahlan reached out to draw her daughter closer, but Sonja skipped down the few steps of the dais out of reach of her mother. A second Mord-Sith guard slipped from behind the crowd and edged closer to the mother and daughter staring match.

"Momma, you said that you would stay. You have to stay otherwise it's a lie and Confessors can't lie." The girl stated triumphantly. Kahlan slowly walked down the steps until she stood tall in front of her daughter.

"I did not lie, Sonja. I promised to tell you a story and I shall. I just have to leave for a few minutes to speak with a guest, it will not take long." She tried to assure her daughter but Sonja was too upset to listen. She stamped her foot, knowing it irritated her mother.

"That's not fair! You never see me anymore. I hate being a Confessor and I don't want you to be one anymore either, Momma!" Sonja stamped her foot again and crossed her arms as she began to cry.

"Sonja Nicolette Amnell-Rahl…" Kahlan started, but seeing their audience she instead picked up her insolent daughter and carried her from the throne room, Confessor mask firmly in place. Raina turned towards the crowd.

"Court has been dismissed for the day. Thank you for coming, it has been a pleasure. The guards shall see you out." She purred before turning on her heel and hurrying after Kahlan. Raina followed the shrieks that Sonja continued to let out down the halls and up throughout the Palace. Guards and servants alike stepped out of the way of the Mother Confessor as she carried her temper-tantrum throwing daughter to the Family residence.

"Put me down, Mama! I wanna walk!" Sonja protested. Her mother ignored her outbursts, face set in a grim line.

The First File guards stationed in front of the family wing of the Palace wisely stepped out of Kahlan's way as she strode into the apartments. Once Hally knew that the Mother Confessor and her daughter were safely inside, she leaned against the wall directly opposite the guards.

"Long day, Mord-Sith?" one of the guards asked politely. Raina huffed out a breath.

"I firmly believe that Princess Sonja's middle name should have been trouble. She's either causing it or it finds her" She said in answer. The guards chuckled softly, never letting their guard completely down as they scanned the halls for potential threats. Inside the apartments, chaos ensued. Kahlan had hoped the apartments would be empty and she could speak privately with her daughter but her husband came out of their bedroom when he heard his daughter's cries. Seeing her father, Sonja cried harder and held out her arms towards him. Richard took a step towards her until he saw his wife's face imperceptibly tighten with his movements.

"What happened?" he asked instead. Kahlan struggled to talk louder than her daughter's sobs.

"She is upset with me for not being able to attend dinner tonight due to an unforeseen circumstance so she threw a tantrum from the throne room to here." Kahlan said, walking with her daughter towards the couches that made up the sitting room and sitting down. Richard followed closely behind, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Mama said she was coming to dinner. She promised and now she's going to leave again. She always leaves. I hate Confessors, I don't wanna be one anymore." Sonja told her version in between sobs. Kahlan's face whitened at her daughter's words and Richard tenderly took his daughter from his wife's lap so that he could talk to her.

"I am sure that it hurts your feelings that Mama said she would come and now she can't. That must make you pretty sad, Sonja." He said, rubbing her back. Sonja nodded and her sobs slowly diminished.

"Mama promised, Daddy. She promised." She whispered. Richard nodded and looked over at his wife. Grief was still visible in his wife's green eyes and he ached to comfort her as well.

"Do you know why Mama isn't coming now, baby girl?" he asked. Sonja shook her head and wiped at her tears.

"Mama has to talk to a woman about grace and it's private." She said, proud that she had remembered. Richard gave Kahlan a confused expression over his daughter's head and Kahlan interpreted what their daughter meant.

"I have to speak to a young woman about a name that she knows and the conversation would be best spoken in private." Kahlan's eyes took on a haunted look and Richard could not even begin to guess the reason why.

"Well it seems that your mother has a good reason for not being here tonight but that doesn't excuse you for throwing a fit and hurting your mother's feelings, Sonja." He said, making sure to look into his daughter's eyes that were nearly identical to his own. Sonja sighed and reached out to hug her father.

"Sorry Daddy." She said, nestled against his chest. He nudged her and jerked his head over to Kahlan. Understanding the unspoken command, she climbed off her father's lap and into her mother's.

"I'm sorry, Mama. I'm sorry for being mean to you." She spoke into her mother's dark tresses. Kahlan hugged her close.

"I am sorry as well, little one. I made you a promise and then nearly broke it. I will be here for dinner tonight, no matter what." She played with her daughter's long hair as Sonja hugged her back and gave her a grin. Richard stood and reached for his daughter's small hand.

"Why don't you go play in your room for a little while before your sisters wake up from their naps. I'll take the three of you to pester Aunt Cara and Uncle Ben before dinner." He said, brown eyes crinkling with mischief. Sonja giggled.

"Okay, Daddy!" she chirped. She gave her mother a quick kiss before skipping down the hall and to her room. Richard laughed at how easily her mood shifted and took a seat next to his wife who was also shaking her head at their daughter's antics.

"So who are you meeting, love?" he asked as he ran his own hands through his wife's hair. Kahlan gave a small frown as she answered.

"I am not entirely sure. I have never met her before but she knows the name of a Confessor that I grew up with here in Aydindril. I haven't heard that name since before the quads hunted Confessors down one by one. She asked me for a private conversation in front of the entire crowd. I have never met someone that brave or foolish to request the Mother Confessor like that, especially given how young she looks" Richard gave a low whistle.

"Well I am not sure what to make of that. Just be careful and make sure your meeting is over by dinner time or Sonja will break the door down to get you." He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Kahlan leaned her head into his shoulder.

"Sonja is becoming quite a handful and not just with us, I hear." She murmured. Richard nodded, he had been hearing the same.

"She is certainly embracing being a princess of both the People's and Confessor's Palaces." He said carefully. Kahlan sighed.

"I do not want any of our daughters to be spoiled but I am afraid that is exactly what is happening with Sonja. Everyone is so charmed by a child Confessor that also happens to be a Princess that she has developed the habit of always getting her way" she explained. Richard nodded.

"She doesn't think about consequences which will be dangerous once she develops her Confessor abilities." Kahlan added. Richard rubbed his free hand along his chin.

"Should we send for Nicci then? She helped me control my gifts, I am sure she could do the same with a seven year old."

"That would work. She has me as well to help guide her when she develops Confessor abilities but Nicci is the most knowledgeable on both Additive and Subtractive magic. Who is to say she doesn't have that as well with her father being a War Wizard?" Kahlan agreed.

"I will speak to the Mord-Sith and guards about not being so lenient with her too. I do not want to find out about her antics days after they have happened. She will one day rule all of D'hara as well as Galea and Kelton and needs to take more responsibility for her actions." Richard kissed his wife's temple as they sat comfortably in silence for a few minutes. Glancing at the time, Kahlan untangled herself from her husband's arms.

"I want to check on the girls before I meet with my visitor." She explained. Richard remained lounging on the couch.

"Go on ahead, I need to conserve my energy before I take our three trouble-makers on a trip throughout the castle to antagonize Cara." He said.

"You are nearly as bad as the children." Kahlan laughed and turned down the hall towards the bedrooms. The first door on the right led to a bathing room and the twins' nursery was right next to it. She carefully opened the door and peered inside. The curtains had been drawn to keep the afternoon sun out while they napped but she easily made out the two forms in their beds. Kahlan stepped inside the room and weaved around the scattered toys until she was kneeling between both beds. The child on the left had Richard's brown hair and it fell in curls around her lightly freckled face. Kahlan knew that if the child opened her eyes she would be staring into a pair of green eyes that would be identical to her own. Kahlan merely kissed the top of her head and wrapped the discarded blanket around her daughter.

"Sweet dreams, Cassandra. I love you always." Kahlan bent her head over her remaining child. This one had dark hair like her mother's but the eyes were hazel and often filled with mischief. In her sleep, she clutched a toy owl that Sonja had given her last year during the Festival of Masks. It was her daughter's favorite toy and rarely left her side. Moving the dangling arm back on the bed, Kahlan ran her fingers through the straight dark hair and kissed her cheek.

"And I love you always, Katherine. Sleep well." Kahlan stood and crept from the room, shutting the door carefully behind her.

"Mama, are they still sleeping?" the voice startled Kahlan but she turned to see her oldest daughter standing in front of her holding something behind her back.

"Yes, Sonja. Your sisters are still asleep. I am afraid you will have to wait a bit longer before you can terrorize your Aunt throughout the Palace." Sonja nodded and moved her hands from behind her back, holding a folded paper.

"Okay, Momma. I made you something this morning." Kahlan walked with Sonja down the hall towards her own room and away from the sleeping twins.

"What did you make me, little one?" Kahlan asked as she opened the paper.

'It's a picture of our family, Momma." Sonja pointed out the figures throughout the paper.

"There's grandpa Zedd eating. And Aunt Berdine holding a book. Artemis is holding one too since they like to read. Aunt Raina is holding her agiel because she likes to fight. Aunt Cara is wearing red and is standing next to Uncle Ben and I put Sofia and Mason there. They all have yellow hair and Mason is holding a sword. He can hold a sword in my drawings right, Momma?" she asked, waiting for Kahlan's amused nod before continuing.

"And Cassie and Kate are there near the middle because they are the littlest. Daddy is there with his Truth Sword and there is you, Momma wearing your white dress and I'm there holding your hand. Look my dress is white too, even though I don't like dresses." Sonja beamed with pride as her mother looked over the picture but her smile grew smaller when she saw her mother's tears.

"Do you not like it? I worked really hard on it and I didn't mean it when I said I didn't want to be a Confessor. I wanna be just like you, Momma." Kahlan kneeled in front of her daughter and lightly held her shoulders.

"This is a wonderful present, Sonja. I love you so much and I am so proud to be your Mother" she said before hugging her and planting a kiss on top of her daughter's head.

"I have to go now but I am going to keep your present with me, okay?" Sonja grinned, showing off the gap where a loose tooth had been a few days previously.

"Okay, Momma. I love you too. Have fun at your meeting and don't forget about dinner." Kahlan gave a chuckle.

"No, I will not forget about dinner and reading you girls a story. I will see you in a few hours. Help with the twins and be good for your father, please." Sonja smiled and skipped down the hall with her mother, climbing into her father's lap as her mother walked towards the doors.

"I'll be back in a while, Richard. I love you. Try not to antagonize Cara too much." Richard gave a similar grin to his daughter.

"We will behave, Kahlan. I love you too." He called as his wife gave him her special smile before leaving the apartments.

"Are you ready to go wake your sisters and find Aunt Cara?" he said, raising an eyebrow at his eldest daughter. Sonja let out a whoop and raced down the hall. Richard chuckled to himself. Cara had no idea what was in store for her when he and his three daughters finally found her. Hand in hand, the father and daughter walked down the hall towards the nursery. Sonja tugged on her father's shirt with her free hand.

"Daddy, I have a question."

"What is it, Sonja?" he asked.

"Where is Fleet Street?" she asked innocently. Richard groaned.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I wanted to post this second chapter as soon as possible since it just needed a few minor changes. I do not know when the next update will be but I will work on the next chapter over the weekend. Like I stated before, this is an idea I have had since the second book and I believe that I can make it work. I will try my best to not use any material from the Omen Machine onward as that would upset the story so please let me know if you catch any errors. Anyway, on with the story!**

Chapter Two

Kahlan walked out of the family apartments and made eye contact with the Mord-Sith that she knew would await her in the hall.

"So how did it go dealing with the Princess?" drawled Raina. Kahlan glanced at the picture still folded in her hand.

"It went well. I believe the princess will learn who truly is in charge of the castle quite soon." Raina smirked as they began to walk down the hall and towards the private office that Kahlan had requested to meet her visitor in.

"By the way, anytime my daughter decides to flaunt the rules or tries to use her status to get her way let my husband or myself know about it as quickly as possible." Raina slid her eyes over to the Mother Confessor but said nothing.

"What is it, Raina?" Kahlan asked as the Mord-Sith pursed her lips.

"I was not going to say anything but now I think you should know. Yesterday, Sonja was caught letting frogs in the public bathing house. Apparently, it was too wet for the frogs outside and she didn't want them to catch a chill." Raina said with a slight smile.

"Anything else?" Kahlan replied through gritted teeth.

"Well yes. A few days before that she and Sofia were caught by the guards after trying to sneak out of the Palace and go to the city. Apparently, there are rumors about a menagerie being in Aydindril for the next few weeks and they wanted to see the animals do tricks. She stated princesses are allowed to go wherever they want before a Mord-Sith approached and brought them both back. Also, she is the one who knocked over the ice sculpture during the Midnight Ball a few weeks ago and let a guest take the blame for it." Kahlan let out an exasperated sigh.

"Does no one think to tell me or Richard what is going on with our daughter? How am I supposed to punish her if I hear what she has done days later?" Raina took a step to the side to avoid Kahlan's anger.

"She is the Princess of D'hara, Kahlan." Raina stated slowly as if that would make it understandable. Kahlan whirled to face her.

"I do not care if she was Princess of Westland, the Midlands, and D'hara. My daughter will not run around the Palace creating trouble without caring about the consequences. She will not grow up to be spoiled, thinking the world owes her everything. She is a Confessor child who is quite near to when she should be developing her powers. If she were to accidently use her gift on someone, say one of her Mord-Sith guards, the effects would be life-changing!" Raina bowed her head as Kahlan's eyes flashed green fire.

"I will let the other Mord-Sith know that she is to be apprehended when causing mayhem and that you and the Lord Rahl are to be told about any troubles that she is behind, Mother Confessor." Raina said quickly.

"Thank you, Raina. That is all we ask. We cannot punish her if we do not know what she is doing wrong." Kahlan placed a hand on Raina's arm.

"Maybe I will give you Sonja for the day and I will take Artemis. She never causes trouble." Kahlan teased as Raina snorted.

"That girl may spend her free time reading but she can be a little hellion, Mother Confessor. Just the other day, I found out that she secretly taught her classmates how to write in High D'haran so that they can pass notes back and forth without the teacher knowing." Kahlan threw her head back and laughed while Raina rolled her eyes.

"How was she caught, Raina?" she asked once she had settled down. Raina cracked a smile.

"Berdine took over the class for a few days when the teacher was out sick. One of the boys wrote a short poem about her chest in High D'haran and Berdine happened to catch it before it went to the other students." Kahlan laughed even harder and even Raina let out a few chortles.

"Her face was so red when she came back for lunch. She immediately hunted down the mastermind behind the note taking and now our daughter gets to tutor the students on Saturdays in written languages seeing as she is such an expert in High D'haran." Kahlan shook her head, still smiling. They had reached her private study above the library and Raina stood against the wall opposite the door.

"We have a couple hours before dinner starts, Mother Confessor. I am under orders by the Lord Rahl to bring you back when it is time for dinner before Sonja tears the Palace apart looking for you." She said with a grin. Kahlan rolled her eyes at her friend before squaring her shoulders and entering her study.

* * *

It had been a surprise to see such a large crowd in the Accords Hall after months on the road but Danika was getting used to the overabundance of people again. She had nearly walked out when the Mother Confessor had refused to meet with her but she had to try and speak the name that still left a lump in her throat whenever she thought about Phoebe and how she saved her life. Danika tried to keep up with the long strides of the Mord Sith in front of her and found the pace she was setting made it impossible to glance around at her surroundings. All she knew was that the Mord-Sith was leading her deeper into the Palace as she had lost her sense of direction after the first few turns and hallways. She had tried communicating with the Mord Sith but after the third time of being ignored, Danika gave up. After a while, they had ended up near a hallway with a balcony that overlooked a library. Danika had never seen so many books before and her fingers itched to look over the worn books and ancient titles. Seeing that Danika had stopped, Hally huffed out a breath, reached out and grabbed her arm, before pulling her down the rest of the hall. They ended up in front of a nondescript door and Hally opened it before shoving Danika inside the room. Inside was a large study complete with oak paneled walls and a glass chandelier. A fireplace crackled but could barely be heard over the thunder still rumbling outside. In front of the large window were two stuffed armchairs and a wooden desk strewn with paperwork was just out of reach. Hally leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, glaring at Danika.

"Am I supposed to sit then?" Danika asked, hands on her hips. Hally rolled her eyes but said nothing. Danika slowly meandered her way around the room, stopping to look at objects on shelves or in glass cases. She kept her hands behind her back so that the Mord Sith would not think she was taking anything and gazed in wonder at the clockwork mechanisms and maps just out of reach.

"Do you know how long I will be waiting for? I need to get back into the city before it gets too late." She calmly asked the woman she realized was her guard when half an hour had passed. Hally shrugged and gave a smirk but did not say a word. Muttering foreign curse words, Danika stalked over to the armchairs and sat down. She threw one leg over the arm and pulled a dagger out of her boot. Hally made to move off the wall when Danika proceeded to simply clean underneath her fingernails with the sharp blade before putting it away.

"You are supposed to be searched for any concealed weapons before entering the Accords Hall." Hally said gruffly. Danika raised an eyebrow at her.

"So you can talk to me." She answered with a smirk. "I was searched before entering the hall. I took this off the guard when he decided to feel me up too. It's a very pretty dagger, I am sure he misses it dearly." Hally stared at her but said nothing else. Danika drummed her fingers along the arm of the chair.

"So where are you from?" she innocently asked Hally. The Mord-Sith made no reply and Danika scoffed.

"Well, I know you are from D'hara but what town are you from? Did you come from a town or was it a village? Do you even remember? Did you live near the boundary or maybe the Old World?" Seeing a subtle shift in the Mord-Sith's face, Danika grinned and continued with the more one-sided interrogation.

"So you used to live close to the D'haran boundary near the Old World then? Did your family travel a lot? You blinked, so I am going to take that as a yes. Did they travel because your father was a merchant or were you trying to avoid the Mord-Sith?" Hally's hand twitched and Danika's gaze caught it. A dangerous gleam appeared in her dark blue eyes as she continued.

"Right again. Tell me, how many years did your family try to avoid them? You must have been a bit older than the rest of the girls but they still took you. Was that the worst? Running your entire life from someone who knew where you were the whole time? Or was it knowing you were too old and still being chosen? Can you even remember what your parents looked like?"

"Enough!" Hally snapped.

"Just be quiet and wait for the Mother Confessor." She said between gritted teeth. Danika shrugged and leaned her head back against the chair.

"If you just talked to me, I would not have to guess." Danika muttered. Hally touched her agiel to calm her nerves as she glared at the young girl in front of her.

"I can always come back if it is an inconvenience to the Mother Confessor." Danika shrugged one shoulder. "I mean I know where she lives, I am sure she will be here next week too." As Hally's temper began to fray at the edges, Danika inwardly smiled. Antagonizing people was her favorite game and she had been itching for a fight since entering the city. Danika reached into her pocket and pulled out a small glass sculpture she had taken from one of the tables in the halls. Throwing it up in the air and catching it gently, she began throwing it a tad higher each time, her eyes on the Mord-Sith's face.

"How much do you think this is worth?" she asked with a small smile.

"More than you are, thief." Hally snapped back. Danika clenched her other fist.

"Maybe you are not a very good guard dog if you didn't notice when I picked this up." She countered back. Hally narrowed her eyes at the impertinent girl in front of her, she took a step towards her as the door handle to the room began to turn. Quickly, Danika placed the object on the edge of the desk and moved both legs onto the floor. Hally continued to walk until she was only a few feet away from Danika with one hand causally wrapped around her agiel as Kahlan swept into the room and stood behind her desk.

Kahlan noted the position of the Mord-Sith but said nothing. She had not heard them from the hall but knew something must have happened for Hally to look that angry and the stranger to have a small smirk on her face. Kahlan sat down and stared at the young girl for a few minutes without breaking eye contact as the young woman drummed her fingers against her leg. Those eyes looked so familiar but Kahlan could not for the life of her remember where she had seen them before.

"What did you want to speak with me about, child?" Kahlan finally asked when it became apparent that the stranger would not speak first. Danika swallowed and tried to calm herself.

"Thank you for meeting with me." She started, "I know I was a bit rude in the hall and I apologize. I do not mean any disrespect, Mother Confessor." She looked at the Mother Confessor as if awaiting her answer but Kahlan merely raised an eyebrow. The girl had been disrespectful in the Accords Hall and had even tried to pick a fight with a Mord-Sith. The girl's mouth would get her into trouble one day but Kahlan decided to hear her out before she commented. Danika licked her lips and started again.

"My name is Danika Madigan and I used to live in South Port." Not sure if she would know where that was, Danika tried to explain.

"It is a port city located on the edge of the Midlands and Westland, right next to the ocean."

"I know where it is, child." Kahlan replied shortly but not unkindly. Danika gave her a shy grin.

"Right, well I lived there for almost ten years. Up until a few months ago actually. While I lived there, I met this woman who sort of adopted me." Hally smirked and hid it behind a glove but Danika saw it and a blush appeared on her cheeks.

"My mother was not a very good mother and I did better on my own. I helped in the market and that's where I learned quite a few languages."

"And how to swear in them too." Muttered Hally. Kahlan shot her a warning glare before motioning Danika to continue.

"There was a woman who I occasionally fetched things for. She lived near the cliffs and did not like walking by herself. She had a husband but he died." Danika began drumming her fingers again and Kahlan realized it was a habit she did when she was nervous.

"Anyway, I spent a lot of time with her and eventually moved in with her. Her name was Phoebe." Danika paused to see if Kahlan had reacted but Kahlan was wearing her Confessor's mask and it was impossible to tell.

"She had reddish-blonde hair and light blue eyes. She did not like strangers and didn't have any friends really besides me. I thought she was a hermit. I had no idea that she was a Confessor." Danika cleared her throat.

"There was a boy who liked to follow me throughout the village. He liked me but I did not like being around him and I did everything I could to avoid being near him. One day he caught me alone near the cliffs and tried to force me. Phoebe heard me screaming and ran to help. She grabbed his arm and when he tried to slash at her with that stupid knife he always carried, something happened. Her eyes went dark with power and it felt like I was caught in the middle of a storm." She stopped her story again and paused for thought.

"The boy was different after that. He called her mistress and did everything that she said. He only wanted to please her." Danika said thoughtfully before taking a shuddering breath and making it through the rest of her story.

"She got hurt while walking along the cliffs for gull's eggs. I wasn't there so she had to send him to get help. He brought back a healer who helped her to her cabin and set her leg. By the time I made it back, she had already packed a bag of supplies and provisions. She was looking over a map when I got there. She told me that the healer had heard him say 'Mistress' a few times and knew what she was. She had to leave before he came back with others. I offered to go with her and she agreed. I raced back into town to pack my own bag but when I made it back to the outskirts of the village I could already see the smoke." Danika turned her gaze away from Kahlan when tears began to well up in her eyes.

"They burned her cottage. She lived there for nearly 15 years and they burned her home knowing she could not walk out by herself. I did not know what to do so I crept back into town at nightfall and stole the gold from my mother's lockbox. I left before dawn and headed straight for Aydindril, avoiding the roads and never staying in one place for long. I got here a few days ago and it took some courage before I could approach the Confessor Palace and speak with the Mother Confessor." Danika furiously wiped away the tears before they could fall down her cheeks. Kahlan took a deep breath.

"I am sorry that you lost your friend. Thank you for coming all this way to tell me but I am not sure how I can help you, Danika." She walked around her desk and leaned against it watching Danika try to control herself again.

"What happened to the boy?" Hally asked gruffly. Danika looked down at her lap.

"He found me while I was leaving town. He wanted to finish what he started now that she was dead. He had no idea that those months he spent bound to her, he taught me how to use knives to intimidate others and defend myself" She looked up into Kahlan's eyes and didn't flinch as she confessed.

"I killed him. I slit his throat and left the knife in his hand. Hopefully people thought he did it to himself because he could not live without his mistress." She raised her chin as she waited for the Mord-Sith to say something but Hally only nodded her approval. Danika reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small, leather bag.

"I was told to bring this to you. She wanted you to have it, Mother Confessor." Danika handed it to Kahlan but Hally was already there, grabbing it. She dumped the contents into her palm before passing it to the Mother Confessor. It was a necklace with three small gems hanging from it. A pearl, an aquamarine stone and a small ruby dangled from the chain. Kahlan held it in her hands and allowed the memories to come back to her. She, Phoebe, and Dennee had gone to a jewelers and picked out a stone in their favorite color a few weeks before Phoebe had begun her journey to the Wilds. The jeweler had taken them and put them in a necklace that Phoebe had promptly paid for. She had wanted to have something unique and special to remember her friends by as it was uncertain when she would return. Kahlan blinked the tears away as she studied the necklace, lost in the memories of her youth. Hally gave a polite cough to bring Kahlan back to the present moment. Kahlan put the necklace on and placed a gentle hand on the girl's arm, who she noted, did not flinch away from the contact.

"Thank you, child. Thank you for the gift. You have no idea how much it means to me to have it. I can have you escorted back to South Port and I will make sure you have enough gold for your journey as well as to pay back your mother." The girl looked stricken and Kahlan wondered what she had said wrong.

"You're welcome, Mother Confessor but if it pleases you than I would rather stay here in Aydindril. I have no wish to return home and I am certain my mother has already gained the gold back. I also still have one more thing to tell you." Kahlan lifted her eyebrow. At this point, nothing would surprise her anymore. That is, until she heard the next words come out of the girl's mouth.

"When I left South Port, I did not exactly leave alone. I brought someone with me." Danika took a breath before she looked straight into Kahlan's green eyes.

"Phoebe's daughter, Melinda." She whispered. Hally's mouth dropped open in shock and Kahlan knew that only years of training kept her Confessor's mask firmly in place. She knew that the girl was not lying but it was impossible for there to be another Confessor besides Kahlan and her children. They had all been wiped out years ago by Darken Rahl.

"That is impossible." Hally interrupted.

"I am not lying, just ask the Mother Confessor to read me." Danika shot back.

"I pretended Mel was my sister to keep her protected and it worked but I did not know how to help her when she developed her powers. I brought her to the only safe place that Phoebe told me was left. I had to do it. I had to make sure her daughter was safe." Danika said breathlessly before she finally lost her battle with her tears and they fell down her cheeks as fast as the rain outside. Kahlan could only stare in shock. There was another Confessor, she and her daughters were no longer alone.

"Where is she, child?" Kahlan asked softly when Danika's tears had begun to ebb.

"I left her in the city. I did not want her coming up here to the Palace for a false hope." She eventually croaked out.

"You left a child Confessor alone in the city?" Hally stated in disbelief. Danika glared her red-rimmed eyes at the Mord-Sith.

"No, I did not. I left her with friends. She is perfectly safe." Danika answered shortly, anger present in her voice. Kahlan interjected before anyone else could say anything.

"Where exactly is she in the city? I want to be there when she is found." Danika winced and began drumming her fingers on the chair again.

"It might be best if I picked her up alone, Mother Confessor. I will bring her straight here but I do not want to overwhelm her so soon. She knows she is a Confessor but she has no idea how to begin controlling her gifts."

"Very well, however, you will have an escort just in case something were to happen. I will have Hally and another Mord-Sith accompany you along with guards from the First File."

"Because that is discreet." Muttered Danika. Kahlan raised an eyebrow at Danika's smart comment.

"I mean everyone is going to know something is happening if I show up in the city with Mord-Sith and First File guards. I feel a more subtle approach would be better, Mother Confessor. No one knows who she is yet and I do not want to scare Melinda either." Kahlan gave her a long look before she acquiesced.

"Very well. Hally and another Mord-Sith of her choosing will accompany you into the city and back. Upon your return to the Palace, I want you both to be escorted to my family apartments as everyone will be there for dinner anyway. I want to meet this young Confessor as soon as possible." Hally stepped off the wall and nodded at Kahlan.

"It will be done, Mother Confessor." She replied. Kahlan stood tall and put her hand on Danika's shoulder.

"Thank you once more for bringing me that necklace when you could have just left it and no one would have been the wiser. Thank you for telling me about Melinda. She will be well taken care of here at the Palace and I will teach her how to control her gift."

"You're welcome. Phoebe had me promise and I always keep my promises." Danika said after a short while. Kahlan gave Danika a genuine smile before she left the room and headed back to her family apartments, her mind was racing at the thought of another Confessor being here in just a few hours and the joy that filled her heart at the thought of another child Confessor was nearly impossible to contain.

Danika stood from the chair and followed Hally out of the room.

"Your name is Hally, right?" she asked. Hally gave a grunt as a response.

"Do you think it would be possible for us to have a bath when we return, Hally? We are both dusty and sweaty and I am sure our hair is greasy from traveling for so long." Hally gave her an incredulous look.

"Are you staying long in the Palace after you drop off your young charge, then?" Hally asked, hoping the answer was no. Danika gave her an even bigger smile.

"Melinda would not stay here without me. I am the only person she can depend on in this entire city. I was going to ask the Mother Confessor earlier but she seemed to be in a rush to see her family and I did not want to keep her." Seeing Hally's frown, Danika chuckled as they walked down one of the numerous halls. People stared in awe at Danika laughing alongside a Mord-Sith but both women ignored the stares and continued to a multi-flight staircase.

"Besides, it is not like there isn't any room. This is a palace after all." Danika replied as she hopped the steps, two at a time.

"That would be up to the Lord Rahl and the Mother Confessor if you can stay." Hally said stiffly when they had reached the bottom of a staircase.

"Well I better be on my best behavior then." Danika broke off into an innocent whistle as Hally clenched her teeth in frustration. Another Mord-Sith met them near the entry way and Hally introduced her as Triana and the threesome set off through the doors of the Confessor's Palace. Thankfully, the heavy rain had kept most people indoors but the remaining citizens gaped at the odd sight of seeing two Mord-Sith in their red leathers and a young teenager carelessly walking between them. Hally quickly brought Triana up to date on what happened over the last couple of hours as they began the journey through Aydindril itself. At the end of the tale, Triana let out a low whistle and stared wolfishly at Danika.

"Just when I thought the Confessor's Palace was getting too boring, along comes a smart-mouth stranger with the biggest prize in the Midlands." Danika rolled her eyes but said nothing. She led them into the heart of the city, ignoring the looks of fear that people gave her small trio. As they left the packed marketplace, Danika abruptly turned left and went down a street filled with well-kept manor houses and groomed horses outside of each home. Triana stepped up next to Danika.

"You do realize what street this is, right? Unless this is a shortcut, you might have gone the wrong way." She said with a small smirk. Danika shook her head, avoiding the puddles on the cobblestone street.

"I know where I am going. Fifth house on the right with the dark grey shutters." Danika replied, pointing out the house they were heading towards. Hally stood at Danika's other shoulder and let out a low laugh.

"What do you think the Mother Confessor will say when she finds out you left a child Confessor in a whorehouse on Fleet Street?" Hally whispered in her ear. Danika blushed but kept her voice steady.

"I left her with people I could trust. This justso happens to be where they live." Danika tried to justify her actions as they reached the front door. She climbed the steps with the Mord-Sith on her heels and knocked a series of swift raps. An older woman in a fine, although revealing, dress opened the door and glared at Danika.

"What would possess you to bring Mord-Sith to this house, Danika Madigan?" she hissed, casting a fearful look at the two guards. Danika shrugged her shoulders.

"They are my escort back to the Palace. Besides I feel that the subtle look is overdone. Why not give your neighbors something else to talk about." Danika wiggled her eyebrows and squeezed around the woman so she could enter the front hall. The Mord-Sith guards only smirked until the woman stepped as far out of their way as possible. The woman grabbed Danika's arm and led her up the staircase to the third floor.

"Grab your sister and get your belongings. I have clients here that my girls are entertaining. The last thing I need is for them to realize I let Mord-Sith into this house and leave without paying. I will not lose money because you enjoy making a spectacle out of everything, Danika." The woman warned before backing down the stairs, as far away from the Mord-Sith as possible.

"We will go out the back way, Madame Cora. Thank you for your hospitality." Danika called to the woman's retreating back. She walked down the hall, ignoring the noises from the other rooms until she came to the last door. Knocking twice, she pulled a key out of her pocket and unlocked the door. She stepped inside and the Mord-Sith followed her lead. The room was small but clean. A made bed was pushed against the far wall and a basin of water sat perched on a wooden table across from it. Two large packs and a smaller bag lay in a heap at the foot of the bed. Danika paid no attention to the interior of the room as her gaze was on a young girl curled up in the window seat who was staring out the window. Her strawberry-blonde hair fell in curls around her heart shaped face. She wore a pair of black pants and a dark grey tunic held up with a leather belt. On her hands were a pair of black leather gloves that came up to her forearms and her boots were slightly too big for her. A child-sized dark green cloak lay carelessly across her lap

"Hey Mel, are you about ready to go?" Danika asked as she crossed the small room towards the child. Melinda sighed heavily before turning and hugging Danika tightly.

"I didn't know if you were coming back. I hate it here. I want to go home, Dani." She whispered.

Danika hugged her back before getting out of the embrace. She lightly grabbed Melinda's chin and tilted up so that she could look into her sapphire eyes.

"I'm sorry Mel but we can't go back to South Port. You and I are going to the Palace tonight and you will never have to set foot in this house again, I promise." She told her young charge, sighing in relief when Melinda eventually nodded. Danika gestured for Melinda to put her cloak on before she turned and grabbed the smaller pack, putting the straps through Melinda's arms. She grabbed another pack for herself and awkwardly held the last pack by its strap.

"Who are they?" Melinda asked, noticing they were not alone in the cramped room. Danika grinned at the Mord-Sith and answered.

"Ask them yourself." Melinda gave them a genuine smile and politely introduced herself.

"Hello, my name is Melinda Grace. May I please know your names?" Triana gave a low chuckle.

"My name is Triana and the one who just tried to elbow my ribs is Hally. We are Lord Rahl's Mord-Sith and we are going to bring you to the Palace." Melinda's brow furrowed and Triana waited for the child to become fearful.

"It is very nice to meet you, Triana and Hally. I do not know what a Mord-Sith is but it sounds important. Are you his favorites?" she asked innocently. Danika laughed at the incredulous looks on their faces and grabbed Melinda's hand.

"They are not courtesans, Mel. They are more like his personal guards. I am sure you will meet more of them throughout the Palace." The Mord Sith stared in shock at the thought a mere child thought they were Lord Rahl's personal whores. Hally opened her mouth but Danika shot her a glare and hissed.

"She's nine years old for Spirit's sake!" Hally closed her mouth but gave Danika a look that seemed to say she was the one that left a child at a whorehouse. The Mord-Sith followed the children out of the room and down the servant's stairs. Both girls said goodbye to a woman wearing too much kohl before leaving out of the back door and walking down an alley.

"Does the Mother Confessor really want to meet me?" Melinda asked, uncertainty evident in her voice. Danika nodded.

"Very much so. She knows your mother, Mel. I am sure she could tell you stories about her." Melinda nodded satisfied with that answer. She refused to let go of Danika's hand as they walked through Aydindril and back to the Palace. Melinda hopped into every puddle they passed and kept up an endless stream of questions that Danika patiently answered. The Mord-Sith ignored the child's relentless chatter and guided the two girls back to the safety of the Confessor's Palace.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: So I mentioned that I would have this updated rather quickly but I must have intentionally forgotten how busy the month of May would be for me. I had six birthday parties, two surprise anniversary dinners, an unexpected funeral, three graduations, and two graduation parties to attend all over the course of the past two and half weeks. I decided as an apology to just combine two chapters and give you guys a longer third chapter. I hope over 6,000 words makes up for the delay. Let me know what you think as we continue with the story!**

* * *

The rain had finally subsided as the group of four entered the Confessor's Palace and Melinda's chatter had ceased when she had taken in the view of the enormity of the Palace. Shifting closer to Danika, she worried at her lip as her wide eyes took in the details that made up the finest building in the Midlands. The girls were met with curious stares from both the guards and servants as the Mord-Sith duo led them to the private, West Wing of the Palace. Passing through carpeted hallways with expensive oil paintings lining the walls, Melinda was hesitant to even breathe too loudly in case that would cast the both of them out of the most marvelous place she had ever seen in her ten years of life. Danika held Melinda's gloved hand firmly and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"How much farther to the throne room, Dani?" Melinda whispered in that childish whisper that carried to everyone's ears anyway.

"We are not taking you to the throne room. Rather, the Mother Confessor has requested to meet you in her private quarters as she had previous engagements already." Triana interrupted and smirked as she noticed the fear in the child's eyes.

"We are almost there, Melinda." Dani answered confidently, determined not to show Melinda how nervous she was as well. The Mother Confessor could want to see a demonstration that Melinda was a Confessor and Danika would not allow Melinda to feel that guilt ever again. Or she could keep Melinda and send Danika on her way which would devastate the both of them. Although they were not true sisters, Danika had been a part of Melinda's life since she was born and was the only family the child had left. Danika did not possess any magic and she was still desperately trying to think of a reason of how she could convince the Mother Confessor to let her stay. Soon enough, the foursome ended up in wing where guards of the First File were seen at regular intervals. A door manned by two of the biggest men the young girls had ever seen stood about halfway down the hall. Triana winked at the men in a familiar manner and smirked when they both uncomfortably shifted under her gaze.

"Mistress Triana, Mistress Hally." The braver of the two guards of the First File acknowledged the Mord-Sith while casting a curious look at the two girls in between them but made no further comment.

"The Mother Confessor has arranged a private meeting with her two guests over a light dinner." Hally spoke in a bored manner as if she had better things to do with her time than be an escort for two young girls. The guard shrugged and stepped out of the way.

"You are a bit early then. Some of the other guests have not yet arrived." He commented as the group passed by the doorway. The Mord-Sith ignored him and led the girls into a large room. Windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling let in natural light while the largest table both Danika and Melinda had ever seen dominated the center of the room. There were chairs for at least thirty people but only three chairs were currently occupied. As they stepped further into the room, the occupants rose to greet them. Danika had already met the Mother Confessor but her nerves tripled under her calm gaze. The Mother Confessor had changed out of her white dress and now wore a gown of dark green but her long hair flowed uninterrupted down her back. The next person Danika would not have been able to mistake as anyone else but Lord Richard Rahl. Even if he did not have the Sword of Truth in a scabbard on his left hip, his mere presence dominated the room in a kingly manner. His eyes locked with Melinda's and she found she was forced to look away from his hawk-like gaze to the final member of their group. A skinny old man with wild white hair gave her a smile as he continued to eat a handful of grapes one by one. Danika was unsure what exactly she was supposed to do in the prescense of the Mother Confessor, Lord Rahl, and a wizard of the First Order so she gave a short bow and simply replied.

"Well met, Lord Rahl, Mother Confessor, and First Order Wizard." Out of the corner of her eye, she noted that Melinda had chosen to hide behind her and just the small hand on her back told her she was trembling in fear. The Mother Confessor smiled softly and stepped closer with the Lord Rahl right behind her. Richard smiled gently at the two and nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"My wife tells me you left a lasting impression in the Accords Hall. I am sorry I wasn't there to witness that." He said to Danika, grinning broadly. Kahlan shook her head which only caused him to smile wider.

"Well met again, Danika Madigan. And the child behind you must be Melinda. It is a pleasure to meet both of you." Melinda slowly edged out from behind her guardian.

"Hello" she finally whispered, looking up at the Mother Confessor. Kahlan was stunned. The heart-shaped face and light blue eyes were identical to that of her old friend but she had brought Zedd along to further her proof. Kahlan held her hand out to the child and after a few minutes, Melinda finally reached out and grabbed it. Seeing Danika's encouraging nod she followed the Mother Confessor the few feet in front of the wizard.

"Hello there, Melinda. My name is Zedd. Do you like magic?" he asked softly so as not to scare her.

"Yes, sir." Melinda said quietly.

"Would you like to see a trick?" he asked, his eyes twinkling. Melinda nodded her head eagerly.

"Alright then, I will do one just for you." He said with a wink and flourish of his hands. He produced a white feather out of one of his many pockets and held it out to Melinda.

"I want you to hold this feather in your cupped hands carefully." He instructed and Melinda hastened to follow. Danika craned her neck but could not see exactly what they were doing. Kahlan and Richard shared a smile. It was a trick that their own daughters loved.

"Now, slowly breathe into your cupped hands. Short, steady breaths, Melinda." Zedd added. Melinda breathed slowly and carefully into her hands while Zedd placed his own hands carefully around her covered ones.

"Close your eyes tight. I want you to imagine a bird. Think about the characteristics of a bird. Their different feather colors. How they sing. Everything. Do you have a picture of a bird in your mind?" Melinda nodded enthusiastically, her eyes shut tight.

"Yes, sir. I am thinking of a bird."

"On the count of three, I want you to open your eyes and seperate your hands. Ready? One. Two Three." On the third count, Melinda opened her eyes and pulled apart her hands. There, on the palm of her left hand sat a canary that began whistling a short tune. Melinda laughed in delight and turned around.

"Look, Dani! It's a bird!" she exclaimed, too excited to remember she had been frightened only moments before. Danika grinned back, impressed with the trick herself. The bird flew from the child's hand and up onto the uncovered beams in the high ceiling.

"Now, we can have some sweet songs to go with our meal." Zedd said confidently. Melinda craned her neck and could spot the yellow bird flying from rafter to rafter.

"Sir, I have a question." She asked Zedd, pleased when he bent over to listen.

"What is it, child?" he asked.

"You gave me a white feather and canaries are yellow. Would it not have been a better trick to magic a white bird like a gull?" she asked innocently. The Mord-Sith began laughing loudly at Zedd's facial expression while even Kahlan and Richard gave a few chuckles of their own. Dani smiled but hid it when Melinda looked her way.

"She's got you there, wizard. A ten year old just instructed you on magic use." Hally said between her laughter. Zedd frowned at the Mord-Sith before turning his gaze on the child. Melinda looked at him from beneath her lashes, afraid he was angry with her. Seeing the look of fear in her eyes, his face softened.

"Child, one of the first rules of magic is people are stupid and see what they want to see. They believe things because they want them to be true or fear them to be true. You saw a bird and used your intelligence to realize that could not be the bird of that feather. Not many people your age would notice details after seeing a bird magically appear out of thin air." Melinda nodded thoughtfully, pleased at the compliment.

"It was a good trick though, sir." She acknowledged. He smiled at the child as he reached for more grapes from the ceramic bowl on the edge of the table.

"Most magic is just a bunch of good tricks. Remember that." He said, popping a handful of grapes into his mouth. Melinda began walking back towards Danika but he carefully touched her elbow stilling her movements.

"I do have one more trick I want to show you and this time I will need your help." Melinda paused but after thinking about it she agreed, wanting to see more tricks. Danika shifted on her feet and the Mord-Sith subtly stood closer. They had noticed the unassuming box next to Zedd's chair and could feel the magic it encompassed from across the room. Zedd held Melinda's hand lightly and had her sit in a chair. Kahlan slid her Confessor's mask into place while Richard stood strongly at her side. This had been his and his grandfather's idea to test for sure that the child was a Confessor. It would not harm her as long as it was done carefully and then Zedd could take the artifact away to be locked back up in the Wizard's Keep. Zedd picked up the box and set it in front of the child. He motioned for one of the Mord Sith to accompany him and Triana strode towards the box.

"Just sit up straight and tall and keep your head level with this side of the box." He instructed Melinda, who noticing the tension in the room was looking nervous again.

"I want Dani." She whispered, tears threatening to fall. Danika clenched her fists but did not move towards her. She suspected that they would want to test if Melinda was a Confessor and could only pray to the Spirits it would not hurt her. Kahlan glanced at the teen and noticed the anguish on her face as Melinda continued to beg for her. Triana unlocked the box and began opening the different sections with Zedd staying well away from the concealed artifact.

"Dani, please. I'm scared. I don't like this. I want to go home." Melinda made to leave the chair but Triana held her in place with one hand. Growling at seeing her wince of pain, Danika stepped forward only to be held back by Hally. Danika tensed before stomping her foot on the Mord-Sith's instep but Hally had anticipated that and simply shifted her weight. Off-balance, Danika swung her elbow but Hally kicked at the back of her legs making her kneel in place. She thrust her head back, connecting with Hally's chin with a sharp crack but the Mord-Sith only changed her grip, digging her fingers into the nerves around Danika's neck.

"Stop fighting me. She is not hurt and will not be hurt. They are just testing her magic." Growled out Hally. Danika noticed that Melinda was now sobbing and stopped struggling.

"Mel, I am alright. You need to be brave like your mom taught you. Deep breaths, control your fear." Danika encouraged from across the room. Richard glanced between both girls and noticed that Melinda was struggling to control herself.

"Hally let her go. You are only scaring the child further." Hally promptly let the girl go under her Lord Rahl's instructions and stepped back. Danika rushed to Melinda but only grabbed her free hand and began speaking to her in a low voice.

"Do you think that is wise, Richard?" Kahlan asked softly. Richard shrugged.

"I was not going to watch a young girl be terrified while her only protector was held captive in front of her. Besides, I think it was a good idea as Melinda is already calming down." He was correct as Danika's murmurings took effect and Melinda took in deep breaths to calm herself. Triana undid the last section and stood poised to open the box.

"Do you mind if I just kneel here and hold her hand?" Danika questioned out loud, refusing to look away from Melinda's tear stained face.

"That would be fine, child." Zedd answered, "However, make sure you stay kneeled until the box is closed up again." Danika raised her free hand to show she understood and waited patiently as Triana pulled the sections apart. A carved figure holding a multi-faceted gem on his palm was unveiled. The carved man gazed at the gem in wonder and the detail was exquisite. While the gem had at first been clear enough to see through, sensing the presence of magic it began to pulse in a color of pure white. Melinda leaned closer to see into the gem itself and the artifact lached onto her magic and began to pull it out of her. It didn't hurt but felt like an unpleasant tingling that left her skin crawling. The gem began to glow brighter and brighter until it hurt to even look at it.

"Close it now, Triana!" Called out Zedd. Triana grabbed the box and quickly closed it. Melinda slumped in her chair, suddenly exhausted. Danika straightened and glared at the wizard.

"What did that just do?" She asked calmly but everyone could hear the anger in her voice. Zedd stepped back towards the table as Triana diligently locked the box back up.

"It did not hurt her. It merely is a device used to test and take away magic from an individual."

"You took her magic away!" Danika shouted angrily. Melinda's eyes grew wide and she shrunk away from Danika. Zedd folded his arms while Kahlan and Richard stepped closer to the table as well.

"No I did not. I merely had the Quillion open long enough to sense her power and when it showed that she carried Confessor magic I had Triana close it back up." He stated calmly. Danika mulled it over but said nothing further.

"So she is truly a Confessor, Zedd?" breathed Kahlan eagerly. Zedd smiled down at the girl.

"Yes, Kahlan. You and your daughters are no longer the last Confessors." Kahlan dropped her Confessor mask and warmly smiled at the two girls. Melinda smiled back but refused to let go of Danika's hand.

"I believe I told you she was a Confessor earlier today, Mother Confessor." Danika said slowly. Kahlan gave a short nod.

"You did and while I could tell you were not lying, I was unsure if it was only because you truly believed she was a Confessor." Danika's brows furrowed.

"So if I believed whole-heartedly that Mel was a Confessor and she wasn't, then I technically would not be lying because I believed my version of the truth?" she asked. Kahlan smiled, relieved she understood.

"Exactly. That is why the Lord Rahl and his grandfather arranged this test so that it could be proven that Melinda is indeed a Confessor." Danika ran her free hand through her hair and looked away from the Mother's Confessor's gaze.

"I understand the methods you chose but I do not have to agree with them." She finally said. Zedd clapped his hands together.

"Well now that that is settled. It is time to eat! Bring in the food and my great-grandchildren of course." He hastened to add. Richard chuckled as he moved around the table to stand next to his wife.

"Please, join us for dinner. It will be loud and you might end up sitting next to Zedd but we have plenty of food and I am sure the both of you will have a good time." The girls acquiesced and chose chairs next to each other. Zedd picked up the box and placed it in one of his numerous pockets as Hally opened the doors. Loud laughter and many voices echoed from the hall as a large group all tried to enter the room at once. Melinda took in a shuddering breath and Danika began tapping a steady rhythm on her wrist to focus and calm her down. A small girl with long dark hair held back with a black band let out a loud whoop and ran to the Mother Confessor.

"Mommy! I knew you would come. I knew it!" she hugged Kahlan before skipping to her seat. Noticing the two girls already at the table she cocked her head.

"Hello. Who are you?" she asked.

"They are guests, little one. Danika Madigan and Melinda Grace let me introduce you to my oldest daughter, Sonya." Richard introduced them before going to help Kahlan with the twins. Sonja smiled prettily, showing off the gap where her tooth had been pulled out only a few days before.

"Nice to meet you. How old are you?" she abruptly asked. Seeing that Melinda's shyness had returned, Danika answered for the both of them.

"I am fifteen and Mel here is ten years old."

"Well I am almost eight." Bragged the child. A boy with shaggy blonde hair walked past and laughed.

"Your birthday is not until the Spring. How does that make you almost eight, Sonja?" the girl scowled at the boy's interruption.

"Mind your business, Mason! She is my friend not yours!" She put her hands on her hips and glared up at the boy. Danika hid a smile behind her hand and noticed the older man behind the boy was doing the same. He was broader than the Lord Rahl but his blonde hair and blue eyes gave him a more innocent looking demeanor.

"Stop riling Sonja up, Mason." He said, ruffling the boy's hair. He nodded at both the girls.

"I am General Benjamin Meiffert but you can call me Ben. My wife, Cara, has been held up but I am sure she will arrive soon. This is one of my sons, Mason. The other blonde haired demon running around is his brother, Benji and we have a young daughter named Sofia as well. You will know who they are. They inherited my blonde hair and their mother's temperament." Danika smiled.

"Pleasure to meet you." She said politely and was pleased to see that both Mason and Sonja had taken seats at opposite ends of the table. A young girl with blonde hair in two braids chose the seat next to Sonja and flashed a quick smile in their direction before turning her attention back to Sonja. Two more woman walking hand-in-hand made their way around the table and sat down near the far end. Wearing Mord-Sith brown leathers, the two could not have been more opposite. The shorter of the two had tan skin, almond-shaped eyes and long, dark hair. The woman gazed quizzically at Danika and Melinda but said nothing. The taller woman sat down and immediately began telling jokes with Mason and Benji, however she periodically glanced at the two guests. Glancing around the table and seeming to do a mental head count, the taller Mord-Sith suddenly yelled in a loud voice.

"Has anyone seen Artemis?" The children shrugged but made no answer. Ben frowned.

"Was she not at lessons with you, Benji?" he asked. The boy shook his head.

"I haven't seen her all day, Dad." He answered truthfully. The woman's face darkened and she stood up from the table, avoiding her companion's reach to pull her back down.

"I am right here, Mama. I would never miss dinner with the family." A young girl around Melinda's age side-stepped around Richard and Kahlan and made her way towards her mother. She had mousy-brown hair and a plain brown dress. She walked carefully, as a large book occupied most of her attention. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she read, oblivious to the stares. She sat down on the empty seat next to Danika and continued to read. The woman sat down with a huff and cleared her throat.

"Artemis, we have guests. Put the book down." The child continued to read until she neared the bottom of the page.

"Can I just read until I finish this interesting part, Mama? Please?" she begged, her eyes never leaving the page. From the end of the table a snort could be heard.

"You think all books are made up of interesting parts. You could be reading a book in High D'haran about migratory bird patterns and still find it interesting." Teased Mason. Artemis's cheeks glowed pink but she continued to read.

"Artemis. Put the book down, now." The woman said sternly. Heaving a deep sigh, Artemis pulled a worn ribbon out of her pocket and placed it carefully in the book before closing it and pushing it to the side. Satisfied her daughter had listened, the woman turned back to the conversation she had been having with the boys. Noting the guests to her right for the first time, Artemis blinked owlishly.

"Hello. Where are you from?" she asked suddenly. Danika raised an eyebrow.

"My sister and I are both from Southport. We travelled to Aydindril to speak to the Mother Confessor about-"

"No, you are not." Interrupted Artemis. Danika stopped in mid-sentence and turned so that she faced the rude girl.

"What do you mean?" she asked calmly. Artemis huffed a breath and gestured a hand towards the two women.

"They are my parents but I was adopted. Which is why I do not look like either of them. You said that she was your sister and while you both have shades of blonde hair and blue eyes, your physical characteristics do no match, even for half-siblings." Danika's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"You can tell that from just a glance?" Dani asked. The girl smirked.

"Yes, the younger girl also has dimples and you only have a light scattering of freckles from the sun. You are also much tanner than she is and like I said earlier, your eyes, although blue, are much darker than her sky-blue ones. Plus, she has shades of red in her blonde hair while yours is more of a sandy colored. Also, I heard Uncle Richard refer to you both with different last names." She smiled triumphantly and shifted her book onto her lap. Danika was quiet for a few moments as she tried to wrap her head around the odd child sitting next to her.

"What are you reading about?" Danika asked. The girl sighed irritably and showed the title of the book to her before quickly opening it and covertly reading it on her lap. Danika gritted her teeth but said nothing further, she would be damned before admitting to a ten year old that she could not read. Kahlan and Richard made their way to the head of the table with a young daughter in each arm. They deposited them in their seats and made to sit in their own.

"Finally, we can eat!" exclaimed Zedd. Rubbing his hands together with glee. Richard chuckled.

"Did you not eat a whole bowl of grapes as well as a loaf of bread just ten minutes before?" he asked with a chuckle. Zedd smoothed down the front of his robes before gently tickling his youngest great grand-daughter.

"Using magic requires extra nourishment, Richard." He said solemnly, winking at his grandson. Richard shook his head but rang a small bell near the head of the table. The doors opened a few minutes later with numerous servants carrying platters of food. Danika smelled the dishes and nearly began drooling. It had been a long journey to the Palace from Southport and even when they had been in Southport none of the food had ever smelled like this. The servants deposited the plates throughout the table before removing the lids. A few servants placed different jugs of beverages down before bowing quickly and exiting the room. Many members began to choose their food and eat but Danika and Melinda stared with wide eyes at the array of delicious food. Danika noted the few foods she had grown up on in Southport before gazing at the more numerous, exotic dishes.

Fresh cod in an oyster sauce was surrounded by steamed clams and oysters. A bowl of peeled fresh-water shrimp and scallops sat next to a cauldron of spicy lobster bisque. Crab-stuffed trout, its eyes still open, lay on a bed of boiled crayfish. The aroma of baked bread, sprinkled with cheese and garlic floated around the table. A platter of carved venison was near the head of the table and the meat glistened under the lamps. Small meat pies were scattered throughout the table and many had already been served. A rack of spiced lamb sat at the opposite end of the table and bowls of mint jelly were placed nearby. Wooden bowls of sugar-snap peas, string beans, and roasted cabbage in turnip sauce was also in attendance as well as small platters of assorted sliced cheeses. Jugs of sweet-smelling red wine, goat's milk, almond milk and spring water were generously poured. Honey-covered scones, piping-hot oatcakes, baked apples sprinkled with cinnamon and caramel sauce rounded out the desserts. Melinda gasped and pointed at a small bowl filled with red fruit and covered in sweet cream.

"Those are strawberries. I love strawberries." She said in wonderment. Sonja glanced up from her own plate and grabbed the bowl.

"Here, take some." She said with a grin. Danika sat the bowl down in front of her as she piled her own plate with some of her favorite Southport dishes as well as a few choice bits from the most delicious-looking food on the table. Melinda picked up her fork and speared a strawberry, generously coated in sweet cream. She popped it into her mouth and chewed vigorously.

"That was the best thing I have ever tasted!" she exclaimed. Kahlan overheard and stopped trying to get Katherine to eat her peas.

"Have you never had a strawberry before?" Kahlan asked. Melinda shook her head.

"My mama told me about them but they were always too expensive. She said they were her favorite fruit." Kahlan smiled gently.

"That they were. Your mother used to sneak them from the gardens and eat them in class. I believe our tutors caught on when her papers began to be stained with strawberry juice." Danika laughed and tried to put some food on Melinda's plate.

"No, thank you. I just want these strawberries, please." Melinda pushed her plate away and dug into the bowl, spearing another fruit on her fork. Danika raised an eyebrow but shrugged and returned to her own plate. Everyone was on their second helping when the doors opened once again. A woman with blonde hair that fell to her shoulder swaggered in, followed by two young men who each carried a sword.

"Aunt Cara, you made it! I saved you a baked apple. They are delicious." Called out Sonja. Cara ruffled her hair and gave her own daughter a hug.

"Sorry, I am late but the Hawthornes and I had some preparations to go over that lasted longer than I expected." She drawled out as she made her way to the empty seat next to her husband, gesturing to the two young men behind her.

"I had assumed your father would be here as well, boys." Richard said after greeting them warmly. The older man winced.

"He sends his regrets but he wants to quash the skirmishes further before retreating. You know how he is ever since our mother passed." The boy answered uncomfortably.

"We are sorry for your loss, Lucas and Logan. Your mother was an amazing woman and I know she was proud of the both of you." Kahlan said, resting her hand on the older boy's arm.

"Thank you, Mother Confessor. I will pass it on to my father when I journey back as well" Answered Lucas.

"Please join us for dinner, Zedd even managed to leave seconds for others." Richard teased. Zedd went to make a witty retort but his mouth was too full of spicy, roasted lamb. The boys grinned and settled into the remaining chairs at the opposite end of the table. Cara and Benjamin's sons practically hero-worshipped them and begged them for stories as they piled their plates with the remaining food. Danika stared at the younger man until his golden eyes connected with hers and she had to look away.

"How are the crustacean dishes, Danika?" Richard asked a while later. Dani swallowed the last bit of her stuffed trout.

"It is delicious. I had no idea that Aydindril could cook South Port dishes." Richard smiled.

"When Kahlan decided you were both staying for dinner she wanted to make sure you had some comforts from home. I am sure if there had been more time, squid ink pasta and pickled eel would have made an appearance as well."

"That was very kind of her. Thank you, Mother Confessor." Said Danika, nudging Melinda to do the same.

"Thank you, Mother Confessor." The girl said around a mouthful of strawberries. The dinner continued as the children teased each other and told stories. The adults engaged in conversation about politics, trade, and economics that Danika could not hope to understand. As the dishes were cleared and dessert passed around, one of the children made an observation.

"Why you wearing your gloves? Are you cold?" Cassandra innocently asked. Melinda's face burned and her fork clattered onto the table as she put her hands onto her lap. Chatter ceased as all eyes shifted to the newest Confessor.

"I like to wear them." She muttered, eyes downcast once more. Danika played with her piece of baked apple but said nothing.

"You can take them off if you would like, child." Insisted Kahlan gently. Melinda stubbornly shook her head.

"No, thank you. I have to wear them." The child said in answer. Kahlan frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked, making sure to keep her voice controlled. Melinda looked at Danika for help but she ignored her and twirled her fork around and around. Melinda sighed heavily.

"I have to wear them so I don't hurt anyone else." She said so softly that Kahlan could barely hear her three chairs away.

"Have you hurt someone before?" Richard asked in his role as Seeker of Truth. Melinda squirmed and her bottom lip quivered.

"Yes." She whispered.

"When?" he simply asked. Melinda squirmed in her seat and scooted as close to Danika as she could.

"A while ago." She answered vaguely.

"When." Richard pressed, pinning her in place with his hawk-like gaze. Mel swallowed the lump in her throat.

"In Southport. He was hurting Dani." She whispered, aware that everyone at the long table was starting at her. Dani clenched her fist and readied herself to protect Melinda. Richard stroked his chin as he thought. His wife had explained the story that Danika had told her and he wished he had been there to question her further. Noting the other children listening intently, he thought of the best way to approach the subject.

"Was it a boy with a proficiency for knives?" he asked. Seeing the blank look on the child's face he rephrased the question.

"Was it a boy that liked to play with knives and taught Danika how to do it as well?" Melinda nodded as a tear fell down her cheek.

"I didn't want to hurt him. I just wanted him to stop." She whispered. Dani's face was as white as a sheet and Richard decided not to question it further, at least for the time being.

"It is getting late and many of you have lessons in the morning. I believe we will call it a night and get ready for bed." Kahlan quickly changed the subject and made sure to glance at all the children assembled in turn. A collective groan rose from the children.

"Mommy, do we have to?" whined Sonja. Richard raised an eyebrow.

"For the girl that skipped out on her lessons today, you seem to be under the impression that your mother will do you any favors regarding your studies tomorrow." He said with a wry grin. Sonja ducked her head in embarrassment. Richard stood and picked up Katherine, who was already snoring softly snuggled against her great-grandfather.

"We have prepared rooms for the both of you in the corner suite." He told Danika and Melinda.

"I am sure we will have more to discuss in the morning, however, it is late and a good night's sleep is needed for everyone."

"I will escort them to their rooms, Lord Rahl." Called out Cara as he headed for the doorway. Kahlan thanked her and had Sonja and Cassandra say their goodnight before taking them both to their quarters for bed. Cara hugged and kissed her three children goodnight before standing and motioning the girls to do the same. They left the room after saying their goodbyes and followed Cara down the hall and up a set of stairs before turning right towards an alcove. Neither of the girls spoke as Cara opened the door and pointed out the features their room contained.

"This is the common area and there are three rooms behind each of those doors. Two of the rooms are bedrooms that each contain a private bathing area and the remaining room is a study. Your things have already been put away and breakfast tomorrow will be served an hour after dawn. If you need anything, a guard will be posted outside of your door." She turned to leave when she felt a hand tug at her sleeve.

"There won't be as much food in the morning will there? Because, I can't eat that much ever again." Cara chuckled at the grave face the young girl was making.

"No, there will not be as much food. Dinner was special as we had more guests than usual. However, I seem to recall that you only stuffed yourself on strawberries which will also be featured at breakfast as well." Melinda grinned sheepishly before leaning against Danika.

"Thank you, we can take care of it from here." Dani said before shaking Cara's hand, noting her strong grip. Cara nodded.

"I am sure your presence here has shaken things up a bit around the Palace. I talked to Hally and Triana before I came to dinner. Take care not to cause too much trouble." Cara warned as she saw herself out. Alone at last, Danika led the way to one of the bedrooms. Melinda yawned and sleepily looked around the room before crawling straight into the bed. Dani unlaced her boots and tucked her in before walking to the second bedroom across the room. Noting their bags had been stored next to the bed, she continued walking into the bathroom to inspect it. Pipes had been manipulated to store cold as well as hot water and Danika was pleased at the vast array of soaps and shampoos that lined the shelf. Stripping, she gingerly climbed into the tub and relaxed in the hot water. Dozing until the water grew cold, she quickly washed and rinsed her hair before drying it on a large fluffy towel. Changing into a pair of light-weight pants and a thin tunic she used her fingers to comb the knots from her hair before climbing into bed. She had almost fallen asleep when she saw the door open and a small figure climbed into the opposite side of the bed.

"My room's too cold." Melinda mumbled and burrowing under the covers she quickly fall asleep again. Danika rolled her eyes at the child before turning over and letting sleep finally overtake her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: It has been a couple months but I hope everyone has been enjoying my writing. I am not sure if I have mentioned it yet but the Sword of Truth series does not belong to me and neither do the characters. Terry Goodkind has that honor and I am so grateful that he imagined them and created such a large series of books with such interactive and interesting characters. None of the characters are perfect and they all make mistakes, sometimes drastic ones which just makes them feel more real. Anyway, let me know who your favorite minor character is and why and I will try to work them into the story. Also, I have gotten a few messages about how many children are in this next generation so I decided to do a short list of the children that have so far been mentioned. Sonja is seven and is the eldest daughter of Kahlan and Richard. She has a pair of twin sisters named Cassandra and Katherine who are three years old. Cara Mason and Benjamin Mieffert also have three children; nine year old Benji, eight year old Mason, and a six year old girl named Sophia. Berdine and Raina adopted a daughter, Artemis, and she is eight as well. As mentioned in the story, Danika Madigan is fifteen and Melinda Grace is ten years old. Reviews make the world go 'round!**

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Chapter Four

Danika had always been a light sleeper but the combination of the soft mattress and large meal from the night before had caused her to continue to sleep much later than she had ever had before. She had the distinct impression someone was watching her and slowly opened her eyes as she rolled onto her back and glanced around the room. Triana leaned against the door, one boot crossed over the other, and stared at her with a smirk.

"Morning, sunshine. I would have thought you were dead except for that insufferable snoring." She said, grinning wider at Danika's scowl. Danika rubbed her eyes and got out of bed.

"I don't snore, Mord-Sith." She snapped and collected her warmer clothes and boots from where she had carelessly tossed them around the room last night. Triana watched with a bored expression.

"No, you don't. You do drool though." She said, nodding to the wet spot on the pillow. Color rose to Danika's cheeks but she didn't rise to Triana's taunts.

"Are you going to leave the room so I can get dressed?" she asked. Triana smiled a particularly evil smile.

"The Mother Confessor assigned me to you and I am not allowed to leave your presence." She said smugly. Danika nodded and without another word stripped out of the tunic and pants and pulled on the warmer breeches, shirt, weapons belt, and fingerless gloves. She was pulling her custom-made, leather boots on when Triana finally spoke.

"What would possess you to do that to your body?" Danika looked up with a slight frown.

"Pardon?" Triana gestured at her now clothed body impatiently.

"The tattoos. Why did you get them?" she asked. Danika listened closely but only heard curiosity and not contempt in her voice.

"Personal reasons. They have special meaning to me…all of them." Danika said firmly. Triana locked her gaze on her charge but only nodded once. Finished with the boots, Danika led the way out of the bedroom and into the common room holding one of the packs.

"So which Mord-Sith is babysitting Melinda?" Danika asked innocently. Triana gritted her teeth at the girl's insolence but replied anyway.

"That girl was up at dawn. She already ate and last I knew she wanted to feed the horses with Princess Sonja." Danika shook her head.

"The one day she gets to sleep in and she wasted it." She muttered and began rifling through the pack. Triana watched with raised eyebrows as the teenager began pulling out numerous weapons and secured them to her body. As Danika pulled out the sixth dagger, Triana stopped her.

"What exactly are you doing? Storming the Palace?" she asked incredulously. Danika snorted.

"No. A Palace this big has to have a training ground and I intend to practice." She said smugly. Triana rolled her eyes.

"There are training grounds for the soldiers and then private grounds for the Mord-Sith. Either way, I can bet that your ass will end up in the mud, little girl." Triana mocked. Danika clapped her hands in delight.

"Perfect! I would love to join you at the Mord-Sith training grounds then." She said, a challenge in her voice. Triana stared at the girl, a twitch forming in her cheek as she bit it. Now she understood why Hally had had such a headache dealing with her all day yesterday. Turning on her heel, she strode from the room.

"Oh I can't wait for the first person to hand you your ass." She muttered as Danika followed happily behind. The pair maneuvered their way to the lower levels of the Palace before going through a garden and ending up outside. The Mord-Sith training grounds stood nearby to the Royal Stable and the smell of horse-flesh and sweaty leather mixed together with the unwelcome stares of six training Mord-Sith would be enough to cause some to turn and leave but not Danika. She stuck her hands in her pockets and boldly walked around the training area, ignoring the whispers. She continued around until she caught sight of a long wooden beam suspended five feet off the ground and barely a hand-width wide. She patiently waited her turn while a Mord-Sith grunted with the exertion of keeping her balance while trying to avoid falling from the swaying beam.

"What does she think she is doing, Triana? Why would you bring her here?" Garen called out angrily while dodging a blow from an agiel her sparring partner wielded. Triana threw up her hands.

"The Mother Confessor explicitly told me she was under my supervision. She wanted to practice here and I wanted to see her brought down a peg or five. Everyone wins." She yelled back. Danika stared at the ground so her smirk would not give her away. She decided she must have a death wish to show off in front of the Mord-Sith but it would be worth it to wipe the smirks from their faces. Clenching her fists, she casually watched the training Mord-Sith who had lost her concentration due to focusing on the conversation behind her and was slowly losing her balance to the unforgiving beam. Trying a roll, the young Mord-Sith slipped and fell into the mud below, narrowly missing splattering Danika. She held out a hand to help her out that the young Mord-Sith ignored, opting to glare at her with hate-filled eyes.

"Triana needs to be a more watchful nanny if she doesn't want her charge to end up damaged." She spat, making sure to raise her voice enough for all the Mord-Sith to hear the taunt and threat.

Triana stepped forward but before she could say a word, Danika beat her to it.

"You know, you are the first person I have met to try and drag someone else's name through the mud while covered in mud yourself. Ironic really." She drawled and sauntered over to the beam. The girl's face turned red as quite a few of the Mord-Sith grinned.

"Feisty. Your wife would have a field day with her." One of them called out and nudged a short Mord-Sith that Danika remembered from dinner was called Raina which led to outright laughter among all of the Mord-Sith.

"Just hurry up, Danika. I don't have all day to watch you trade insults with another teenager." Triana called out. Danika nodded back and hoisted herself onto the beam using the strength in her arms alone. Manipulating her body so she was sitting instead, she lazily stretched her arms out and balanced on the beam using just her arms, her legs locked straight in front of her. Twisting suddenly, she pulled her legs in and swiftly crouched on the beam before letting go of the beam with her hands and standing up. She walked the length of the beam before deciding to show off a bit and walking backwards to her starting position without glancing behind her. Pausing until she had most of the Mord-Sith's attention, she jumped, completed a somersault and landed back on her feet on the beam. Reaching the end of the beam again, she bent her back until her hands were grabbing the wood behind her. She kicked up with her legs and walked the length of the beam on her hands before pausing and completing twenty upside-down pushups, toes pointed perfectly at the sky. Picking up on the murmurs that had begun, she finished the routine with a dive-roll off of the board, avoiding the mud-pit and landing on her feet

Ignoring the now wide-spread shock among the training Mord-Sith, Danika began heading to the next obstacle which involved a complicated running course when the youngest Mord-Sith decided to speak up again.

"I heard she is from South Port. Of course the women there are known for their…flexibility." She called out with a ruthless grin on her face. A few chuckles broke out among the group. Danika stopped and whirled around. Her eyes flashed with a temper that she barely held in check but she was able to answer calmly.

"Would you like to say that again without your front teeth?" Danika asked impishly, hands on her hips.

"I would like to see you try, whore!" the Mord-Sith girl retorted. Danika clenched her fists and took a step forward only to be yanked back by a pissed off Triana. Painfully grabbing her bicep, the Mord-Sith dragged her from the training grounds and strode into the Palace.

"Stupid, stupid child." Muttered Triana still dragging her through the halls by her arm.

"Are you talking about me or about that mouthy Mord-Sith who desperately needs a lessons in manners?" Danika asked as Triana continued to mutter under her breath. Triana stopped and whirled on her, eyes wide before they narrowed in a glare.

"I have no idea who you think you are but you are playing a dangerous game to threaten a Mord-Sith even if she is a trainee. All Mord-Sith answer to Lord Rahl and to threaten us is a threat to him. You may be untouchable right now for bringing that child Confessor but you are nothing without her, remember that." She spoke through gritted teeth, fingers painfully digging into Danika's arm. The girl swallowed before answering.

"I understand. I apologize for my actions. My temper is my biggest weakness, I will control it." Danika said softly and soothingly, realizing how much danger she was in to be alone with an angry Mord-Sith. Triana stared hard into her eyes but Danika refused to look away and slowly the Mord-Sith calmed down.

"Quinn should not have taunted you knowing you cannot fight back and I am sure she will be effectively punished by her mistres for picking a fight with the Mother Confessor's guest." Triana blew out a deep breath and released Danika from her grip before resuming her walk. After a few minutes of silence, Danika dared to ask a question.

"Who is Quinn's mistress? I would like to apologize for embarrassing her as well." Triana was quiet as she pondered answering.

"Mistress Berdine. She's in the library" She said shortly before turning down a hall and heading towards the Great Library, her charge on her heels.

Entering the sprawling room that contained hundreds of thousands of books took Danika's breath away. The shelves were bursting with manuscripts, journals, scrolls, and leather-bound books all copied by hand. Even though Danika could not read it still amazed her how many people could and how many languages throughout the Midlands that all congregated inside this very room. She hesitantly reached out a hand to stroke the spines of the books she could reach, mesmerized by the random, quaint lines and letterings on each book. Triana glanced over her shoulder and realized her charge had stopped moving. Rolling her eyes, she stalked back and began lightly pushing Danika between the tall rows of shelving.

"You can read all you want later but I believe you owe some groveling to Berdine and I want to witness it." She said with a smirk. Danika colored but simply cleared her throat and allowed the Mord-Sith to push her to the back of the library where Berdine held ownership. The woman they were looking for was sprawled in an oversized-armchair with her boots resting on the edge of another chair reading a rather heavy looking tome. She only noticed their appearance when Triana pushed her feet off of the chair and sat down with a grin.

"What do you want, Triana?" Berdine asked, irritated at having been interrupted.

"I came because someone has something to tell you and wasn't sure where to find you." Triana smiled wider and Danika received the impression that Triana looked just like a shark with her dark eyes and numerous teeth gleaming. Sighing heavily, Berdine picked up quill and placed it in between the pages before setting the book to the side.

"Well?" she asked shortly. Danika licked her lips and took a step forward.

"There was an incident at the training grounds this morning. I lost my temper and may have threatened someone I now understand is under your care. So I wanted to apologize for any embarrassment I caused and assure you that it will not happen again." She said making sure to stare the Mord-Sith directly in the face who slowly began to frown. Berdine's eyes cut over to Triana who was trying and failing not to grin.

"Explain." Berdine said shortly, her blue eyes glaring daggers.

"Quinn." Triana answered. Quickly realizing that Berdine may have jumped to the conclusion that Danika was speaking of Artemis. If she was ever that stupid to threaten Artemis then she had better run fast because both Raina and Berdine would have happily killed her. Berdine nodded and took a deep breath, calming down.

"What exactly happened in the training grounds this morning?" she asked in a softer tone. Triana explained the incident with a look of relish on her face.

"So there is Quinn, covered in mud, mind you, because she still can't time that jump and she decides to taunt Danika. Danika simply shows her up by doing an impressive routine on the bar and when she finishes Quinn basically insinuates that the only reason she is so flexible is the fact she is from South Port. Danika threatens her, Quinn insults her again, and I took Danika from the training grounds before it could come to blows." Triana said with a gesture at Danika.

"Of course, I made it known to this one that threatening a trainee Mord-Sith is like threatening the Lord Rahl himself and it will not be tolerated, right Danika?" her voice had grown cold and Danika quickly nodded.

"It will not happen again, I promise." She said quickly, looking back and forth between the two Mord-Sith. Berdine scowled and looked at Triana.

"She still can't master the beam after all this time?" Triana shook her head.

"She acts like she is drunk every time she steps onto it. It is quite entertaining actually." Triana said with a chuckle. Noticing the confused look on Danika's face, Berdine decides to humor her.

"Now before I go hunt down Quinn later, how exactly did you threaten her?" Berdine asked.

"I may have threatened to knock her front teeth out for insinuating I was a whore." Danika tried to say calmly, but both Mord-Sith heard the change in her tone when she said the last word. Berdine nodded slowly.

"I will deal with Quinn. She knows better than to insult a guest however I bet if it came down to blows you might show her a thing or two. I accept your apology, Danika." Berdine stood and put her hand out for Danika to shake which she did hesitantly.

"A fight between you and Quinn? Now that is something I would love to watch." Triana interjected. Berdine rolled her eyes and stood, stretching all the kinks out of her back.

"The Lord Rahl wanted to meet with me at noon over dinner and I am sure you are anxious to be re-united with the little Confessor. I will take you to them both and give Triana a break from her nanny duties." She said with a smirk. Danika hid a grin as Triana gritted her teeth and stalked off, most likely to go break something. Berdine gathered the numerous books scattered across a nearby table and jerked her chin at the rows of shelving that continued behind her.

"You can borrow any book you like. So long as you return it in the same condition and place…or else" She warned.

"Thank you, I will keep that in mind." Danika said softly, her eyes taking in the many hundreds of books that she had no hope in understanding. Berdine raised both eyebrows but made no comment. She led them both from the large room, the stack of books under one arm as she nonchalantly walked the halls. Danika found that she remembered these passageways and that they would be taking dinner in the same room, past different guards this time, that they had first dined in the night before. Danika had barely entered the room, when a slim figure ran into her and squeezed her tightly.

"You're back, Dani." Melinda mumbled into her shirt. Danika ran her fingers through her tangles and accepted the hug for a few moments before gently prying her away.

"I didn't go anywhere besides the training grounds and library. I heard you were able to feed the horses with the Princess. Was it fun?" Danika asked softly. Melinda's eyes grew wide.

"Their horses are huge, Dani! I can almost walk under them and they love apples almost as much as I do." She said excitedly. Danika smiled and noted the audience they had. The Mother Confessor was smiling softly at the scene between the two girls while her twin daughters played with an assortment of carved toys at her feet. Sonja was being tickled by her father who managed to continue a conversation with Berdine as if it were completely ordinary. Another Mord-Sith that Danika remembered was named Cara had a pile of paperwork in front of her that she was steadily reading, oblivious to the sounds around her. The luncheon was not as extravagant as it had been the day before. An assortment of baked bread, spice soup, cooked pheasant, and a large bowl of strawberries and cream took up only half of the wooden table. Jugs of fresh spring water, cool- mint tea, and black coffee gave off a pleasant aroma to the room. Danika nodded her head in greeting and gave a short bow to the Mother Confessor as Melinda went back to her chair and began eating her single bowl of strawberries and cream with a small roll and cup of mint tea to accompany it this time.

"Thank you for entertaining Mel. I am sure she is thankful and we both appreciate it." Danika said kindly. Kahlan smiled a bit wider.

"It was no trouble at all. Melinda is an extremely well-behaved and educated child. Her mother would be proud." Melinda ducked her head in embarrassment at the attention but was soon distracted by Sonja who called her over to the windows. Danika made her way to the table and stood awkwardly, unaware if it was proper etiquette to sit down if the Mother Confessor was already doing so.

"Please sit and keep me company, Danika." It was as if Kahlan had read her mind.

"I want to hear more about how the two of you journeyed all of this way from South Port." Danika bit her lip but sat down on the seat across from her.

"It wasn't easy," she started, "The weather cooperated for most of the trip so we were only caught in the rain a handful of times. Once we were far enough away, I felt comfortable staying in small, well-kept inns and we took advantage of as many way-ward pines as we could." Richard had made his way over to the two of them and had placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. He remembered many a night of camping in a way-ward pine with Kahlan and was pleased that they were still often used.

"Why didn't you buy horses? It would have cut your travelling time down considerably." He asked. Danika glanced between the two of them.

"Melinda does not know how to ride well and I do not particularly like horses myself." She confessed. Melinda giggled from the far end of the room.

"That's because a horse threw her and broke her leg. My mama had to set it for her. She screamed and cursed so much that Mama made me play outside until she fell asleep. His name was Goblin." She interrupted. Danika blushed as the adults exchanged amused smiles.

"That horse was a goblin." Danika muttered. Richard opened his mouth and tried a different question.

"I believe they have coaches now that are rent-for-hire. Would that not have been easier with a small child?" he asked. Danika took in a deep breath and calmly released it. They were not questioning her actions but were generally curious how they had travelled so far on their own.

"A teenager and young girl travelling together with enough money to rent a coach? That would have brought too many questions and I was trying to keep us as inconspicuous as possible. Our story if someone asked was that our father worked in Bristol as a logger and had sent for us but our mother had passed away on the journey. We had had to sell most of our belongings for a proper funeral and we were on our way to meet him." Danika smirked.

"The only time we were questioned using that story was when we actually stopped in the town of Bristol and the inn-keepers wife wanted to hunt down all the loggers until we found our father." The adults all chuckled and Kahlan picked up Katherine who had begun flinging the carvings and settled her on her lap with a kiss to her forehead. Danika looked away from the tender display and realized that she had caught Mord-Sith Berdine's eye.

"Well, I am impressed." The Mord-Sith said with a shrug of her shoulders. "You managed to travel for almost two months from one edge of the country to almost the other on your own with only a pack each and your wits. You would make a good leader even if you did leave your charge in a less than desirable place once you reached Aydindril." She commented. Danika ducked her head under the unsuspecting praise from a Mord-Sith.

"Did you see any wolves?" interrupted Sonja, her eyes as wide as saucers. Melinda shook her head at her new friend.

"No, but we did hear them. Their howls raised the hair on my arms but I wasn't scared because Dani said that is how wolves talk to each-other." She said, snuggling into Dani's arm. Kahlan smiled at the obvious love the young child had for the teenager and it was equally as obvious that Danika cared and protected Melinda.

"What about pirates or bandits or even dragons?" Sonja asked, desperate for the story to have some sort of action that she could tell Mason about later. Melinda shrugged and glanced at Danika who was still staring at the floor.

"We didn't see any pirates or dragons." She answered slowly, hoping her friend would ignore the fact she hadn't answered fully but Sonja was her father's daughter and caught the half-truth easily.

"Does that mean you saw bandits then?" She asked with narrowed eyes and even Richard and Kahlan waited for an answer.

"Well…I am not sure if they were bandits or not. It was hard to tell but Dani said we weren't in danger as long as we stayed quiet and took watches." Melinda stammered as Danika sighed. Richard pierced the teenager with his steel-grey eyes.

"Who exactly were they, Danika?" he asked in a voice that brooked no argument. It was his Sword of Truth voice and it demanded a response. Danika swallowed.

"There are stories and rumors about a new group of outlaws. No one is sure who they are or where they stay. Because it is so secretive, the group has adopted the name, the Whispers. They steal into villages and towns and take what they want. Melinda and I saw them a few towns south of Bristol. We hid in the hay loft of a horse barn for the rest of the night, scared out of our wits. They wear silver masks and move silently. If the horses hadn't smelled them, I doubt I would have been able to hide us in time." She answered in a voice almost raw with fear.

"What do they take, Danika?" Kahlan asked gently. Danika glanced around at the children before giving a shuddering breath.

"I think if you want to continue this conversation it might be best for your children to leave, please. I don't want them to have the nightmares that Mel and I do." She pleaded. Kahlan raised an eyebrow at her husband and was about to speak when the sound of a chair being pushed back startled all of them. Cara stood from the chair, clutching a group of papers in her hands. She walked slowly over to a terrified Danika and handed her the first page.

"Is this what you saw?" she asked gruffly. Danika scanned the paper, wide-eyed.

"I don't know." She said with a shake of her head. Cara scowled and pushed the papers closer.

"Read it! Is this what you and the child Confessor saw before you came to Bristol." She said angrily. Danika pushed the papers away from her face.

"I said that I don't know!" she cried.

"Why don't you know, Danika?" Richard asked calmly.

"Because…because…I never. I never…" she started but was interrupted by Melinda's quiet voice.

"Because Danika does not know how to read." She said simply. Danika's cheeks flushed in embarrassment at the Lord Rahl's and Mother Confessor's surprise. Sonja's voice carried in that child-like way as she spoke in disbelief.

"You don't know how to read? Didn't you have a teacher that made you write lines over and over again and practice little words?" she asked. Danika clenched her jaw.

"No." she said shortly. Sensing Danika's fear and embarrassment, Kahlan stood, maneuvering Katherine to one hip.

"I agree with Danika. This conversation can continue without the presence of little ears. I believe we should have the Sword Brothers here for this as they have heard similar reports in the North. I had no idea it had managed to take root in the Southern Midlands as well." She said firmly.

"I will take your children, Mother Confessor. Artemis found a baby hedgehog in the gardens this morning and I know she wanted to show the girls later today." Kahlan smiled at her old friend and thanked her as she passed off Katherine to Berdine and handed her Cassandra as well before giving both of her toddlers a kiss on the cheek.

"But Mama, the story was just getting good." Complained Sonja, pouting where she stood. Richard picked up his eldest daughter and made sure to look her in the eyes.

"You heard your mother clearly, little one. Why don't you go play at Berdine's and Raina's apartment with Artemis before your afternoon lessons resume? I am sure she would love the company." He said, making sure his daughter understood. Sonja sighed heavily.

"Alright Daddy." She squirmed to be let down and skipped to the door. "Anyway, Melinda will just tell me what happened later. That is what best friends do, right?" she said grinning happily at discovering a loophole. Melinda could only beam at the fact this girl wanted to be her friend and Sonja smiled back before turning the handle and following Berdine from the room. Cara chuckled at her god-daughter's antics before clearing her throat and becoming serious again.

"I will find the Sword Brothers. Why don't you eat something before you keel over, Danika?" she said kindly as she swaggered through the open door, intent on her mission to find the absent brothers. Danika sighed and allowed Melinda to make up a plate for her that included a bowl of spice soup, fresh bread, and a glass of water but she managed only a few bites before her stomach refused anymore food.

"I am sorry but I am still quite full from the feast last night." She explained to Richard and Kahlan. Kahlan opened her mouth to protest that Melinda was eating just fine but a glance from Richard had her closing it.

"What exactly do they take from these towns and villages, Danika?" Richard asked softly, a small frown marring his face.

"They take the unwanted, the orphaned, the ones no one will miss. The ones that are mocked as Lost Boys because they have no place to call home. No one notices that they are gone and no one cares as long as their own children are safely asleep in their beds." Danika's voice was barely a whisper but they both heard it clearly.

"And what do they do with them?" Richard asked, placing a gentle hand on her clenched fist that lay on top of the table. Danika took shallow breaths and glanced at Melinda sitting next to her. Suddenly, they were back in that hay loft, hidden under the eaves and staring out a crack in the wooden slats. Melinda had covered her eyes and hid under the cloak, not daring to make a sound when Danika had whispered for her to stay as still as possible. That they would be okay as long as they stayed quiet. The cloak had helped shield the younger girl from seeing the horrors but it hadn't kept out the smell of iron or the screams that they both could still hear in their dreams.

Back in the present, Danika was able to speak the words she had kept hidden, knowing speaking to the wrong person would have had her murdered on the open road.

"They kill them one by one, and make it impossible to find the bodies." She said softly and nearly broke down as Melinda pushed her bowl of fruit away and clambered into her lap. Richard furrowed his brows and went to ask another question but Kahlan's hand covered the hand still in his lap.

"Let it go, Richard. We can ask the Sword Brothers when they arrive if their reports match but these girls need some space. They have done extremely well so far." She murmured in his ear. Richard nodded his agreement. He had been too caught up in the mystery to truly take in the frightened girls before him. What they had witnessed had scarred them and he would have to tread carefully if he wanted to find answers. Richard carefully squeezed Danika's hand.

"Thank you for telling the Mother Confessor and I. We have some more questions but those can wait. You both look tired and I am sure you are not fully recovered from your journey after just one night's sleep. Why don't you both rest in your quarters and I will have someone fetch you in a few hours." He suggested gently. Danika stood up, Melinda still clinging to her and choking back sobs on her once dry shirt.

"That sounds heavenly, Lord Rahl. We would greatly appreciate it." She said, her voice cracking as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Kahlan stood as well, tears in her own green eyes that she refused to let fall.

"Come girls. I will escort you to your rooms and bring you back in a few hours." She said, holding out her hand to Danika who hesitated for only a second before grabbing it and clinging to it tightly. The group of three left the dining area and headed up the stairs to their quarters. Kahlan's heart nearly broke on the expression on their faces. She had seen it on many of the young soldier's faces when they had fought Jagang in the war nearly ten years ago. Those eyes that had seen too much despair and death to ever be completely happy again and it made her want to hug the girls tightly until the pain in their eyes had lessened. She settled for lightly rubbing Danika's back and was pleased to see the girl did not flinch away from her touch. Kahlan suspected it had much to do with the young child she carried in her arms and that she did not fear Confessors the way most people had been raised. She led the pair inside their rooms and helped Danika put Melinda to bed. The poor girl had cried herself to sleep on the way up but even in her sleep she reached for Danika's hand. Danika rolled her eyes fondly and climbed in the bed on the other side of her. Laying on her back and staring up at a crack in the ceiling as if it was the most interesting piece of architecture in the world. As Kahlan went to leave she heard a voice call out to her.

"Mother Confessor, may I ask you something?"

"Anything, Danika?" she said with a gentle smile, staring into a pair of weary, dark blue eyes that did not belong on a teenage girl's face.

"Please, do not make me leave Melinda. She's the only family I have left. I will do anything. Become a soldier or work as city guide or even as a messenger just please do not take her away from me." The girl begged wearily as if she believed it would happen anyway but still had to ask. Kahlan's eyes shot up in surprise.

"Danika…I would never ask you to leave Melinda. I can tell she needs you as much as you need her. If you want a job then first you must go to school. I will talk it over with my husband to find the best teacher for you. But know this, Danika. I would never separate the two of you. I promise you, that." Kahlan said gravely. Danika knew enough about Confessors to know a promise was especially sacred for a Confessor to make. She smiled one of her first real smiles at Kahlan before slowly closing her eyes. As Kahlan left the room, she heard a soft thank you but simply left the bedroom door open a bit before exiting the quarters and making her way to her own rooms, heavily lost in thought.


End file.
